What a Trip
by Ana the Romantic
Summary: Aubrey Cander . . . a normal girl by most standards. Well... until she is captured by orcs, rescued and meets a hobbit named Drogo. And how does any of this have to do with her mom's amulet? Find out! RR please Last Chapter up now!
1. The Normal, Annoying Day

A/N: Hey everybody!  You knew it would only be a matter of time before I decided to do a romantic fic in the Lord of the Rings section.  This story line might be over used, being a sorta of Mary sue, but it is going to be different in most respects, so please don't hurt me!   I don't really know if it would be considered a Mary Sue or not, so please read before you shun it.  *Crosses fingers and hisses* If it seemed like I copied something, I didn't know, sorry.  Just e-mail me, and I'll try to change it or take it off . . . even though it took me near to six months to finish it.  That's right, I've finished it, but instead of uploading it all at one time I decided to do it chapter by chapter to make my readers suffer a little.  Ah, the great power of being an author.  Anyway, this is a romance fic, of course, and knowing me, it will be sappy.  Anyway enjoy!

Disclaimer:  I don't own any characters from Lord of the Rings.  I only own my characters Drogo (Not Frodo's father.  That is a copyrighted name and character of the book.), Aubrey and the other lovely original characters of my story!

What a Trip . . .

A/N:  This is a very, very, very, very small intro to the story, just introducing you to Aubrey and who she is, so please don't get mad at its shortness.  And I tried to get away from traditional Mary Sue as much as possible.  The beginning is a little misleading, but the romance concerning my character does not include Frodo.  And I just wanted to say that writing is something that some people like to do as an outlet, so please, if you want to speak your mind on my fiction, please keep this in mind.  Thank you. Now enough of my nearly useless rambling . . . on with the story!

"Planet Earth to Aubrey.  Come in Aubrey," Jane waved her hand in front of her friend's face.  Aubrey paid no heed to her friend; only moving once in a while to place some of her lunch in her mouth.  "Hey Aubrey!  Wake up!"  Jane picked up her soda bottle and opened the lid about to tip the contents of it on her friend's brunet head.  

Before she could tip even the first drop out, Aubrey looked over at her, "I'm sorry, Jane.  Did you say something?"

Jane slapped her forehead with her hand and sighed.  "What were you thinking of?  I almost threw all of my soda on you."

            "What else would I be thinking about, but my perfect guy?"

            Jane raised her eyebrow, "Don't you mean perfect hobbit?"  Aubrey glared at Jane.  Only a few days ago they both saw the Lord of the Rings movie for only God knows how many times they have seen that movie, and Aubrey fell for Frodo Baggins each and every time.

"Just shut up Jane."

            "I can't help it if you fell for a guy that is four-foot-seven.  And can you say fictional?"

            "Can you say cute?"

            "You're hopeless.  You know Frodo is just played by an actor right?" Jane turned away from Aubrey.

            "That's what you keep telling me.  But you have to admit, a fictional boyfriend is better then one that cheats."

            "You're right, but you just have to get over it, you're sixteen!"  When Jane didn't get a response from her friend she looked over at her friend, who was yet again, spaced out.  Jane just sighed and looked at the door of the band room.  "Hey, there's Josh."

At the mention of his name he came over, "Hey you two," he put his arm around Jane and gave her a peck on her cheek.  Aubrey just sighed and got up.  She picked up her backpack and started heading off to the more open part of the school.

            "Hey, where are you going, Aubrey?"  
            "You two are going to gag me with your lovey-dovey stuff, so I'm leaving.  Talk to you laters."

            "Laters," Jane looked sympathetically at her best friend.

Aubrey walked away from her normal eating spot and wondered around campus.  Ever since her break up with her boyfriend -that only lasted two days before he 'got to know' another girl- she can't stand being around Josh and Jane, they just remind her too much of her time with _him._

Even though she was dumped for a prettier girl, Aubrey wasn't that bad looking.  She had shiny, curly chestnut hair, with almost glowing green eyes.  She wasn't fat at all, but she also wasn't as anorexic skinny as her ex's new girl.  So most people would say that she was at a perfect weight, and other guys have even told her that she was hot.  But what did that matter to her when she got dumped for a blond, prep airhead?  That was over two weeks ago.

She walked by her locker and, of course; the hall was crowded so she had to elbow people to get to her locker in the middle.

"Ow!  Watch where you're going!  Oh- it's you Aubrey," the girl paused and giggled under her breath, "Nice to see you."

            "Hello Cara," Aubrey's voice dripped with hatred, "How's Jeremy doing?  Fallen off a cliff yet?" she hit her locker open as it needed persuasion every once in a while.

            "No, but we were hoping you did."

            "Very funny, Cara, but we both know that only you and Jeremy have just the right amount of brain power to be able to walk and talk, so you two would be the perfect candidates."

            Aubrey didn't even look at Cara as she talked, and grunted just to fit her backpack into her locker for her physical education class.

"Is that the best come back you can do? You're more pathetic then I thought.  No wonder he dumped you," Cara glared at Aubrey.

Aubrey stopped and looked Cara right in the eyes and leaned close enough to bite off her nose, "You can walk the walk, and talk the preppy talk, but that's pretty much all you brain can handle isn't it?"  Aubrey grabbed her clothes, slammed her locker shut, turned away from Cara slapping her face with her hair, and walked off.  She hurried to her class as the bell rang giving her two more minutes to get to class.  She barely made it.

While in PE Aubrey had to play bat mitten with her classmates whom she didn't know all that well.  Her partner was one of Cara's friends who didn't cooperate at all.  Aubrey tried to constantly remind her that if she didn't play she didn't get any participation points, but the girl was failing almost everything, so it didn't matter to her anyway.  Aubrey was so relieved to play singles so she could get away from Miss miss-all-the-shots.  Although she would gladly take the girl back when she realized that during the single matches they had mixed classes and guess who she got to play against.

"Hello again Aubrey," Cara glared from behind the net.

"Cara," Aubrey simply said and nodded her head at her.  Aubrey served first and thus began another competition between the two.  Aubrey was surprised to see how hard Cara was playing and thought that she just was never trying until now.  The two girls glared at each other as the birdie passed from one racket to the other.  Aubrey kept her mind on the game and busted the birdie over the net one time after the other.

"Prepare to lose, loner," Cara said in a sing song voice as she hit the birdie over the net at Aubrey.

"Not very likely," Aubrey jumped up and hit the birdie in a slam over the top of the net hitting Cara's square, ricocheting off the ground and hitting her in the forehead.  Aubrey smiled as Cara rubbed her head, "And that's game."

"I'll get you for that Aubrey," Cara got up holding her head and scurried off to the locker room, throwing down her racket.

"Cara, come and take the net down.  You lost you have to take the net down!  Cara!" the PE coach yelled after her.

"It's ok Coach K, I'll take it down," Aubrey volunteered and started taking down the net.  She looked after Cara as her group of airhead friends tried to remind her that 'Aubrey was just a loner/ loser and should not even be a threat to her ultimate beauty.'  Aubrey almost gagged at the statements they were making.

            Aubrey tried to hurry home after PE and getting her stuff from her locker, hoping not to bump into any of her friends.  Not that they were mean or anything, it's just that they have been trying to cheer her up from her recent break up, but so far they haven't succeeded.  Some only made it worse.  Telling her encouraging words ranging from, 'Oh it's all right honey.  You're worth so much better,' and giving her a bear hug to that, 'I still can't see why you even liked that slime ball.  I mean look at his hair!'  It just didn't help her any, especially her self esteem.

"Hey Aubrey!"

Aubrey closed her eyes hopeful that the voice she heard wasn't one that she recognized as the 'disgusting one.'  She turned around after plastering a small, fake smile on her face and stood in front of Jeremy.  The ex-football player stood above her by almost a foot, although his height only made up for the brain cells that he was obviously missing.  His grades were going down the tube, and even though he was kicked off the football team because of this fact, his father believed that he would be able to get a scholarship somewhere.  Aubrey guessed that the brain size must run in the family.

"Hey Jeremy, I got to go home."

"What's your hurry?"

"My mom might need some help in the kitchen; I'm supposed to be there for her."

"I thought she didn't get home until later."

"Oh, you actually remembered something about my life?"

"But you are making sense; you know helping your mother . . . because your dad is dead and all."

"Thanks for that daily reminder.  Now, if you don't mind."

"Cara told me that you were talking to her today," Jeremy said leaning against the gym's wall.  Aubrey stopped and looked at him.

"Yeah, I did . . . To bad my vocabulary was probably too high for her to understand, though."

"Come on, Rey-"

"Don't call me that.  Even when we were dating- those two short days- I told you that I never liked that name," Aubrey interrupted him and stared coldly into his eyes.

"Well, all you have to do is get to know her."

"Get- get to know her?" Aubrey couldn't believe her ears.

"Yeah, then maybe we could all hang out together or something."

"Jeremy . . . do you know what I have been through these past days?  These past two weeks?  I don't want to 'get to know her.'  I don't want to get to know someone who purposely took some one else's boyfriend.  And don't tell me she did it by accident, because you know better.  All those times she was flirting with you right in front of me.  And taking me out of your arms and replacing the space with her body.  I don't like her one bit, and I don't want to."

"I was just thinking . . ." he started to play with her hair and stroke the side of her face, "That maybe all of us could get to know each other."

Aubrey brought up her hand and slapped him across the face, "How dare you!  Don't even think about talking to me ever again.  And if you do, you better have a death wish!"

            She made it home in only a few minutes after her talk with Jeremy and dropped her backpack and stuff down.  'I can't believe that minuscule brained, behemoth!  How dare he!'

She popped a burrito in the microwave and waited for it to cook all the way.  She grabbed a Sprite out of the fridge and grabbed the now hot burrito out of the microwave.  "Now for some good 'ol TV to calm me down.  One of the only things these days that still makes me laugh."

As she walked into the living room, she found something she didn't expect.  Her mother was sitting on the couch, apparently home early from work.  

"Mom, why are you home so early?"

"Aubrey, honey.  I'm so glad you're home; I didn't hear you come in.  Please sit down."  She sat down in her favorite chair and sat patiently for her mother to tell her the news.  It had to be really big, or really bad if they were sitting together like this.  "Honey, I have some bad news."

            'That's all I need.  More bad news.'


	2. The Trip

Chap. 2- The Trip

            Aubrey cried herself to sleep that night, not caring if her mother heard her.  She always tried to keep a good face on, no matter what was going on, but the truth was that she was always soft and never liked to show it.  She always hid it below her tough exterior.

Aubrey was in her room, trying to wreak it as much as she could.  She could never output her emotions as much as she would like to, and did it the only way she could without hurting herself or breaking anything valuable.  After her bed was a mess and all her stuffed animals were off the shelves she sat on her bed.

Tears rolled down the sides of her face, "This isn't fair," she said to herself throwing one of the extra pillows off the bed, "My father died of cancer when I was only two. . . and now my mother might as well . . ." She choked back her tears and buried her head in her legs.  The dark blue comforters started to wrap around her foot by her constant movement and the sheets were already off the side of her bed from her earlier outburst.  After sitting on her bed for a few minutes she turned her radio as loud as it could go without waking up the rest of the block or her mother, and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Why?"  She stared at a little amulet that she held in her hand.

*~*Flashback*~*

            "Aubrey, can you do me a favor?"

Aubrey nodded her head, "Anything mom."  Her mother held out her hand and handed something over to Aubrey.  Aubrey held out her hand and a beautiful blue amulet surrounded with gold binding on a gold chain fell into her hands.  "Mom, it's your amulet.  You've had this ever since . . ."

"Your father gave it to me when we were very young.  I want you to take good care of it.  It's been in our family for a very long time, and it's very special.  Promise me that you will take very good care of it."

            "I will.  I promise with all my heart."  She struggled to smile down at her mother, but she couldn't hide the tears that were going to overflow any second.

"Don't worry about me, Aubrey.  I can take care of myself, but you have a long life ahead of you.  That amulet always gave me luck, and I want to pass it on to you."

            "Thank you, Mother."  Aubrey hugged her and quickly left before she started to cry uncontrollably.  She would save that for later.

*~*End flashback*~*

Aubrey laid on her side, still clutching the amulet.  'I will never let this out of my grasp.  No matter what it takes, I will not let my mom down.'  She slowly fell asleep shortly after her thought and vow.

***

Instead of her alarm screaming in her ear, Aubrey woke up to some racket from the neighbor's home.  She looked at her clock on her bed stand, "Five-thirty.  Almost time to get up anyway."  She dragged herself out of bed and pulled on a black t-shirt with a white kitty with fairy wings on it.  She found a comfortable pair of baggy jeans and pulled them on as well.  She searched the floor in the dark for her favorite hiking boots and shoved them on her feet not really bothering to tie them.  The sun was about to rise as the sky was starting to take on a lighter blue color.  Aubrey tried to catch the last glimpse of the stars as they faded and the moon started to escape from view.

From out in the hallway she heard some more banging noises and decided to check it out, at first she thought it was from next door, but then again she could have now sworn that it was coming from inside.  She put her hair up in a clip, put on her jacket that was hanging near by, and reached out for the door handle, "What is going on out there?"  Before she even touched it, it began to turn by itself.  Aubrey stood stunned, unable to think about getting a weapon; she backed up against her bed and felt her hand land on something.  'Mom's amulet!'  She grabbed it and stuffed it in her back jeans pocket to keep it safe.

Suddenly the door burst open and three creatures began to run into the room.  Aubrey couldn't see their features very clearly, but she did know for sure that they weren't human.  She almost chocked on her own tongue and tried to swallow her breath.  'This isn't possible,' she backed up and sat on her bed, struggling to fit herself even deeper into the corner that held her bed.

One of the three creatures came up to Aubrey and pushed up her chin to look at her neck.  "She doesn't have it, Captain," he said in a scruffy voice, while turning back to one of the other creatures.  The creature was so close and Aubrey could smell its breath and body odor, it smelt awful, she could barely stand it.  She closed her eyes and tried to turn her head away a little.

The tallest of the three stepped forward, apparently the captain, "Bring her with us, and search the room quickly!  The sun is nearly up!"  The creature slapped something on Aubrey's wrists and they slammed together.

"What the-"

"Shut your mouth!"  The creature held a sharp knife near her heart and she shut up quickly.  Even though Aubrey tried with all her might to push herself into her corner even further the creature pulled her out her bedroom door.  

Aubrey could hear her mother crying out her name, but didn't know if they were in her room as well.  She looked towards her mother's room, but it didn't look like they had even tried to get into the room. She was relieved, but wondered why they only come into her room.  Aubrey kicked the creature holding her in the shins and tried to run toward her mother's room to warn her, until she was hit in the back with something and blacked out.

***

"'Ey, you al'ight?"  Aubrey opened her green eyes to a blurred picture of a pair of dark brown ones.

"Who are you?"  The girl backed up and Aubrey saw her in full picture starting to get more in focus with every second.  She was a girl around sixteen years old maybe seventeen, and had black hair, and had a southern accent.  (I'm not good at typing accents, so please don't hurt me!)

"My name's Mandy," she extended her hand out to Aubrey, "The orcs just brought you in.  Apparently you tried to run."  Aubrey took her hand and pulled herself up.

"Yeah, I did actually- wait a minute . . . orcs?" Aubrey asked rubbing the side of her head.

"Yep, those things over there," she pointed out through bars to one of the creatures standing by the other doors.

"You mean, like Middle Earth orcs?"

"That's where we are.  'Ey, it took me at least a couple of days to figure out where I was, how d'you know so fast?"

"My friend and I saw the movie a couple of days ago for the millionth time," Aubrey looked out of the window in the cell and felt a rush of heat brushing against her face.  She got down from the window, took off her jacket, and tied it around her waist.  "You could probably call my friend a Middle Earth geek.  She tells me everything she can without me starting to yell at her."

"Oh, what's your name?"

"It's Aubrey.  Are you from here, I mean Middle Earth?"

"I'm from Louisiana.  You?"

"Good 'ol California," she wiped off some sweat from her forehead, "You would think that I would be used to this kind of temperatures, but I guess not.  I'm sorry; I should have figured that you were from the South, no offense or anything."

"It al'ight, none taken.  But you haven't seen the whole picture yet.  The overall picture is much worse once you actually see the outside.  Compared to the outside, that heat you were getting from the winda, feels like cool summer breeze."  Aubrey and Mandy sat against the other wall and started to talk to each other, giving general information on each other.  Like when's their birthday, how many siblings if any, and anything else they could think of.

"What are they looking for anyway?"

"Don't really know.  All I know is that it is very important and very valuable to 'em.  I heard 'em saying to one another one night that it's some kind of jewel with magic properties."

"Why look at my home?  We have no jewels, especially the magical kind."

"Neither did my home.  But they came anyway, and took me with 'em."  They skipped to another subject so not to attract any attention, since the guard was starting to look at them suspiciously already.

At first the cell only held Aubrey and Mandy, but that soon changed.  One by one, more and more people came into the cell, until it was almost full.  Day by day Aubrey and Mandy got closer and closer as friends, although Aubrey could never tell where one day ended and another began.  All the time, it seemed only darkness, red and orange light from flames, and maybe the occasional moonlight entered the cell.

"Mandy, have you noticed something?"

"About what?"

"All the people that they are bringing in are all girls around our age."

"So?"

"So, there must be a connection, it can't just be a coincidence."

"Try not to think so much in here, Aubrey."

"Why?"

"They don't like thinkers; they see 'em as a threat.  A day before you arrived a girl had some of the same ideas and was automatically killed.  Just act dumb, and show no emotion.  They take pride in causing pain; don't give 'em the pleasure of showing yours no matta' how painful."  Aubrey nodded her head and asked Mandy the same question; she just shrugged her shoulders and sat back down in their usual corner.

***

After a few more days the orcs began to round up Aubrey and Mandy's group and led them out on to one of the many platforms outside.  Aubrey finally saw what Mandy meant by 'wait until you see the outside.' 

 It was just a huge fire pit, with nothing stopping you from falling in except for the wooden platforms and rope bridges.  The platforms seemed like they too could fall into the great pit, that didn't give much confidence to Aubrey.  The sky looked like it was eternal night just as she thought, covered by the dark smoke and dust coming from the great pits.

Their group was led into a circle, facing into one another.  Aubrey looked to her left and saw Mandy staring straight ahead, following her own advice of showing no emotion.  Aubrey felt the unbearable heat coming up from the pit beneath them and thanked god that she tied her jacket around her waist, and that she wasn't still wearing it.  Although, she had a lot of difficulty walking when her boots kept melting on the wood beneath her.  She thought it so strange that her boot's soles were melting, but the wood did not even show one sign of burning.

Aubrey could hear some screaming from the other platforms and took her eyes off of the wood to look around.  She saw countless lines of girls and women of all age either being tortured or being put through awful labor.  Most were either being hit by one or more of the orcs or had heavy loads on their backs or in their hands.  Aubrey watched as some girls fell from exhaustion, and then thrown over the side into the pit by one of the passing orcs.  Some of the other girls cried out for one girl that fell, but was stopped by a shorter, possibly older woman who patted them on the back and kept them going.  The woman looked down at the pit, to check that none of the others girls saw and looked at Aubrey.  The woman gave her a sympathetic look, a small smile and looked away.  Aubrey watched her as she put some of her dirty blond colored hair back behind her ear and kept working.

She also noticed something about these other girls, they had some sort of material over their right hand, and almost every one of them was different.  Then she realized it, some were humans, but others were what looked like elves and dwarves and others like  . . . hobbits.

She knew the elves from their fair complexion, even though their faces were covered with burns and dust.  The hobbit lasses were much shorter and didn't have any shoes, so their feet had to suffer even more.  She looked around her circle, and was pretty sure that they were all humans.

"Come on now!" Aubrey could see other orcs pushing the girls and women even further, "We must rebuild to our master's greatness."

'Master's greatness?  But Jane told me the end to the third book . . . Sauron is gone . . . isn't he?'

Orcs now started to circle each person in Aubrey's group, each one setting down a flat piece of metal.  "Place your right hands on the plates," one of the closer ones said.  Aubrey felt more heat radiating from the plate.  "Now!"

Others placed their hands on the plates, all screamed out except Mandy.  Aubrey was the only one with her hand still above the plate.  "Put your hand on it now!"  An orc came up to her and slapped her in the face.  Aubrey looked at Mandy, and Mandy gave her a pleading look in her eyes; 'Please just do what he says,' Aubrey seemed to hear her say the words in her head.  Aubrey nodded her head, got back up, and placed her hand on the plate.

She closed her eyes to hold herself from screaming out in pain.  The orc standing next to her stepped on her hand making the burning even more intense.  She didn't even flinch.  She wouldn't, and refused, to give him the pleasure of her pain.  The burning flowed through her whole body and it felt like she was changing from the inside out, but that was impossible.  Her shoes seemed to start to grow a little tight, her clothes a little bigger, except her shirt, which was always small on her to begin with, and it felt like the plate was rising or something.

"Alright, hands off the plates."

The orc took his foot off of her hand and she opened her eyes, showing no fear or pain, just utter disgust.  Aubrey looked at her hand and could see a great burn mark, some portions of her hand almost black with her still steaming skin.  The orcs gave a cloth to every girl in the circle to put around their hand except Aubrey and Mandy.

"You," an orc pointed at Mandy, "and you," the same orc pointed at Aubrey.  "Come with me."

The two girls followed the orc to the highest platform as the other girls were put straight to work.  "Congratulations," he said with a sneer turning to the two, "You two are very strong.  You two are of a few that have the privilege of a fast, nearly painless death."

"Some privilege," muttered Aubrey holding her wrist of the hand that was burnt.

"Now who's first?" the orc pointed to the end of the platform.  Mandy stepped forward, "Ah, so the elf steps forward."

'Elf?' Aubrey looked at Mandy closely.  She had changed somehow . . . her ears were now pointed, her hair was as straight as can be and she had gotten . . . taller.

"Go then, elf."  Mandy stepped to the end of the platform.

"Mandy no!"

An orc hit Aubrey in the stomach and she fell to the wooden planks beneath her feet, "No, let her speak.  I want to hear her plead."

"Mandy, we can fight them!  Don't do this!" Aubrey said clutching her stomach where the orc hit her.

"What's the use, Aubrey?  We'll die anyway," Mandy said looking down at her burnt hand.

"Then let's do something worth dying for.  Don't just give up!  You're stronger then that!  You taught me better then that!" Aubrey could feel tears in her eyes.

"No matta' what they'll win Aubrey . . . At least they won't have the satisfaction of killing me with their own hands," Mandy stepped off the platform backwards looking at Aubrey.

"Mandy!"  Aubrey watched with horror as she saw her only friend in this world fell to her death by her own free will, and had to turn away was she hit the flames.  She closed her eyes hard and felt a tear fall down her cheek, then almost evaporates in the heat.

The orc turned to her, "Your turn."  Aubrey kicked him in the groin and then tried to run the opposite way, but was stopped by more orcs.  She tried to fight them in everyway, but couldn't get past the huge mob coming toward her. 

"Let go of me!"  They eventually tired her out and one pushed her toward the edge.

"Mandy may have given up, but I won't.  I will come back, and you will pay dearly for all the pain you have caused."  The orc smiled and pushed her lightly over the edge failing to see the threat in her statement.

Aubrey saw the flames rushing toward her.  She took her mother's amulet out from her back pocket and held it tight in her grasp.  She could hear the orcs start to scream something from the platforms above, but didn't want to know what.  Some even started to point at her and scream at one another to do something.  'Please be by my side,' she thought out to her mother's spirit, as she closed her eyes and held the amulet to her chest.  She felt herself hit the warmth of what had to be the flames . . . and all she saw and thought of was darkness.


	3. Found

Chp.3- Found

Two hobbits walked along a path leading them from their home, and into the forest surrounding the area.  One was older then the other one, even though you could never really tell how old either of them were.  The only distinguishing things between the two were very clear; the younger one had lighter hair color and lighter blue eyes then the other.  But when talking to the two, you could see vast knowledge in the eldest one's eyes.

"These walks seem to be more calming everyday, don't they Drogo?" asked the older hobbit.  He had no answer from his companion.  "Drogo?"

The younger hobbit shook his head and stepped out from his dream, "Oh, I'm sorry father."

"What's wrong with you, my lad?"

"I just had a dream last night that I can't stop thinking about."

"What?!  Drogo Baggins, scared of a dream?!" his father joked with him.

"I never said that I was scared of it.  I just said that I couldn't stop thinking about it," he looks down the path and into the trees.

"I know.  You have more courage then I ever thought possible for one of your age."

"Father, I'm in my tweens.  I mean, most hobbits my age are no longer scared of the dark or of anything coming out and grabbing them," Drogo turned to his father with an amused look on his face.

"I'm aware of that; it's just that you have been the bravest of all your friends, or of your age group.  I don't know how many times I've seen you stand up for what you believe in."

"What's the use of courage if you can't use it?" Drogo shifted the dirt underneath his feet, "Sure, standing up to bullies is one thing, but I'm so tired of sitting here in Hobbiton doing nothing," he sat down on a nearby rock, "I want some adventure.  Like Bilbo or even just like you . . . the great Frodo Baggins.  You took the ring of power and destroyed it."

"Believe me son, you don't want an adventure like that, if you want to call that an adventure," he looked down at his hand where his finger had finally grown back with some help from the elves in the Undying lands in the short period that he was there.

"I don't care, really.  Just as long as I can have something that people know me for.  Both you and Bilbo are famous for what you did.  I want to live up to the Baggins name."

Frodo sat next to his son, "Why do you bring this up now?"

"I was just thinking, among other things . . . about mother.  It's been twelve years now."

"I know it has.  You must miss her as much as I."

"Very much so.  Why did they take her?  She didn't do anything to them."

"Orcs are creatures without a conscience.  We never know why they do what they do."

"I want to get them back so bad.  It's a pity they didn't all die in the end."

"Don't keep holding in hate.  It's never good," he patted Drogo on his shoulder, "Let's go home.  On the way, you can tell me about this dream."

***

'Where am I?  Did I actually fall into the pit of fire?  Was it all a dream?'  Aubrey opened her eyes slightly and found herself looking up at a vast, night sky.  Rubbing her head she opened her eyes the whole way thankful that she didn't have to deal with the bright sun shining in her eyes.  She could feel herself moving, and sat up on her elbows and saw that she was in a small, wooden cart.  She saw the driver of the cart facing away from her.

"Ah, so you're finally awake.  I was wondering when you would come to," smoke came from the man's mouth as he removed his pipe.

The driver turned to her. He was an elderly man, with a long white beard, and a long wooden staff leaning on his side.  Immediately remembering where she was, she asked him, "Gandalf?"

"I am he.  You gave us quite a scare, you know."

"Us?"

"Yes, us," he whistled to the sky and Aubrey looked up to see a giant hawk flying over the cart, barely visible in the night sky. "My friend here saved you from a fall," he stopped the cart at the side of the road and climbed out from the driver's seat and walked around to the back of the cart, "Do you need to stretch out your legs, Miss . . ."

Aubrey jumped out from the cart, "Just call me Aubrey, if you don't mind.  I don't like being called miss anything.  Just too formal for me, but you may call me lass if you like."  She still tried to be well mannered, this being a whole different world and this man being the most powerful wizard known.  She smiled up at Gandalf and looked at the hills and forests surrounding the road that they were traveling on.  Finding it quite difficult in the mid of night.

"So I'm really in Middle Earth.  I'm actually here . . . it's amazing, after you get out and away from the orcs, that is.  It's amazing to think that orcs once were elves," she remembered the fact from the movie as she took the clip out of her hair then later clipped it on one of her jacket sleeves.

"You have quite a lot of information in that little head of yours, young Mis- I mean Aubrey."

"I would like to think so," Aubrey looked around, as if she lost something and lowered her voice, "Did Mandy make it?"

Gandalf gave her a confused look, and then realized whom she was talking about, "Alas, the young elf perished.  The hawk can not carry two at one time." Aubrey looked down and held something tight in her hand.

"What is that that you have in your hand?"

"My mother's amulet, she gave it to me before I was taken from my home.  I promised her I would take care of it," Aubrey looked at it and placed it around her neck, securing it by hooking the small gold clasps.

"As you should, for any object that is that important to you.  Now, we have to keep moving. Someone is following us."

"Who?"  Aubrey looked back to search for anyone coming.  

"We won't be able to see them.  They don't want to be seen."  He looked over at the bushes, "If I ever tell you to run, do so.  Fast and hard, and don't stop until you have to."  He climbed back into the diver's seat and Aubrey climbed back into the back.

Gandalf started to move the cart back down the road.  The ride began to go into the woods, small over hanging branches reached out for the cart.  Aubrey saw that there were some things covered with a blanket to her side, and suspected that they were fireworks.  Aubrey laid on her back looking up at the stars.  'Oh Mandy . . . Couldn't you have held on?  Couldn't you have believed that there was going to be a way?  We would have found a way.'

Gandalf listened to hear if she moved suddenly because she saw something, but through the ride he heard nothing from her.  He turned back to see her just staring at the sky through the tree's branches, and then turned back to the road.

"I suppose that you are not too familiar with this area."

"You have no idea," she looked up toward Gandalf and crawled toward the front of the cart putting her arms over the back of the front seat, "Are you taking these fireworks to Hobbiton?"  She asked while pointing behind her over to the lump under the blankets.

"You are a very curious and observant little one aren't you?"

"Very, some people say that I'm too smart for my own good," she smiled.

He laughed, "Curiosity has nothing to do with how much knowledge you have stored in that little head of yours."

"Yes, but you need to be very observant to gain that knowledge, don't you?"

"Very true.  You seem to have knowledge as well as wisdom, Aubrey, which is always a good thing.  Because if you have that knowledge without the wisdom . . . well, that could be just too dangerous.  Especially if you like to be curious as you are," he smiled down at her.

"Gandalf, is it alright if I sit up in the front with you, it's kind of hard talking to your back?"

"I don't see any objection to you joining me in the front here.  But be careful, sometimes it can get tricky climbing from the back."

"No problem," she grabbed the back of the seat and jumped to the front.

"How did you know of Hobbiton?" he asked watching the road in front of them.

"Um . . ." she thought for a moment, "Well, nearly everyone has heard of Frodo Baggins, therefore hearing of Hobbiton.  I mean, I heard many tales when captive by the orcs.  Some girls in the cell next to me actually were in Hobbiton at one time and had wished to go back. "

"Hm, yes.  They were probably there because of the raid."

"The raid?"

"Quite a while back orcs came to the Shire and took many young women.  No one knew why, but many were spared."

After a few moments in silence Aubrey looked down at her feet, "Gandalf, where are my shoes?  And . . . how did my feet get so big?  Not to mention hairy?"

"Why, I never knew of a hobbit lass that wore shoes before.  Or of one with small feet."

"Hobbit lass?  But I'm hu-"

Aubrey didn't have much time to think as the cart was turned on its side and Gandalf was shouting, "Run Aubrey!  RUN!"

Aubrey picked herself up and ran for her life, "Great . . . just great.  First orcs and now these other things that I haven't even seen yet.  What next?!"  Aubrey looked down and saw her mother's amulet start to glow from underneath the gold binding, holding the blue jewel in place.  She jumped over small streams and branches, trying to escape from her pursuers.  She jumped under a fallen tree trunk and heard her pursuers pass her by, but waited a few minutes before getting up and running, in another direction.

She heard noises coming toward her; following her every move.  She looked behind her and saw them.  They were green beings, with spears in their hands.  'Goblins,' Aubrey thought.  She watched as they followed swiftly, but didn't turn back around fast enough to see the uprooted tree branch in front of her.  She tripped on it and flew down a steep hill.  She caught a glimpse of the goblins trying to come down the hill after her, but had many difficulties.  She closed her eyes as her head hit a rock.

***

"So, you don't know who she is; or where she came from.  But you have the feeling that she is in trouble."

"Exactly.  I don't know why, but I just have the feeling that I need to help her."

"Well, it's only a dream.  Don't think about it too much," Frodo turned away from his son and looked toward Bag End, "It looks like we have a visitor."

Drogo looked up, "Gandalf!"  He started running toward the cart, "Gandalf, it has been too long!" 

He hugged the old wizard and looked at the cart closely.  The cart was a little beat up, with one of the wheels almost falling off the axel.  "What happened?"

"Oh, I had a little problem, and . . ." Gandalf lifted the material that was covering his cart, "I got delayed."  Drogo gasped as he saw a young girl asleep in the back of the cart.

Frodo walked up to the cart, "Hello old friend.  What do we have here?"

Gandalf turned to Drogo, "Help the young lass into a comfortable bed, would you?"  Drogo carried the girl in, "Frodo, we need to talk."  Frodo nodded and followed Gandalf into Bag End.

***

"So, who is this young lass?"

"I don't really know, but the orcs want her very badly. And once they have her they will kill her."

"How do you know?"

"They have tried once before.  If Nighthawk wasn't in the sky, then she would have been burned alive in the fire pit."

"But he has flown over that area millions of times, and never returned with someone on his back."

"Something is special about this young lass, Frodo.  Maybe it is something she has, or something that she is."

"It might be both," Frodo motioned over to one of the doors in the hall where Drogo was shutting the door quietly.  "That is the fifth time in an hour that he has checked on our young guest.   I think that he might see something about her as well."

"Indeed," Gandalf smiled, and then turned serious again, "She must have something.  Even the goblins were after her; they ambushed us on the road.  I found her before they got to her."  Frodo looked puzzled and sat back in his chair, rubbing his chin in thought.  Gandalf continued, "And another thing Frodo, she said something to me that was very peculiar.  Well, actually a couple of things.  She said that she was finally in Middle Earth.  That she had _actually_ made it."

"Where else could she have come from?"

"That is what I'm hoping to find out.  She had also asked me about why her feet were so big.  It confuses me.  It's like she doesn't know who or what she is.  And yet she remembers her name.  And knows a lot of information for a lass her age, not to mention that she is also very mature.  Much more mature then others of her age," Gandalf shook his head, got up and walked toward the door.

"Gandalf, where are you going?  What if she wakes up?"

"You will be fine.  Just treat her well, and don't call her Miss, by any means.  I'm pretty sure that she will like it very much here.  Even if it isn't her home."  He looked over at Drogo who had just entered her room for the sixth time.

***

"It's amazing . . . she looks exactly like the girl in my dream.  But she looks so peaceful," Drogo looked over her sleeping form as she stirred slightly in her sleep, "And beautiful."  He brushed some of her hair out of her face and sat back in the chair next to her bed.  'Although that is the way that it usually starts, Drogo.  Beautiful girl, then something happens where they have no time for you.  But this . . . this is different.'

With no attention paid to his thoughts he stayed in the chair for the rest of the night, watching over her.  Frodo peeked into the room and saw Drogo asleep in the chair.  He smiled and walked over to the chair, and nudged his son awake.

"I think that you need a break.  I'll look over her now, you need your sleep."

"No, I'll be alright.  I want to stay."

"Why, I never thought I'd see the day when you would pass the opportunity for sleep."

"Ha, ha.  It's just that," he looks over at the girl, "that's her."

"That's who?"

"That's the girl in my dream."  Frodo looked at the girl.  She wasn't moving that much, except for the occasional repositioning.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive.  I would like . . . to wait for her to wake up."

"You need _your_ sleep.  I'll come and get you if she wakes up."  Drogo's face fell and started to stumble toward the door.

"Did Gandalf leave already?"

"Yes, he had to . . . find some answers."

Drogo nodded and took one last look at the girl, "Do we know her name?"

Frodo thought for a moment then looked at Drogo, "Gandalf never did tell me her name.  We'll ask her once she wakes up.  Now go to sleep."  Drogo left the room and headed down the hall, but not without stealing another peak at the girl.

***

Aubrey could tell that she was back in a comfortable bed.  She felt the mattress below her, and the soft pillow under her head.  She sighed to herself, 'What a dream.  It felt so real.'  She turned on her right side and opened her eyes, to check the time.  But there was only a blank wall.

"What the-?"  She sat up fast, then immediately fell back down into the pillow.  "Ow!  Head!  Pain!  Guess what, genius?" she talked to herself, "This still isn't a dream.  And what is it with me and blacking out?  I got to stop that!  I mean, soon enough I'll get brain damage or something."  She held her head and sat up slowly this time.  She took a look around, "At least I'm not in a cell, or a cart."

Her clothes were torn, but all of the pieces were still there and were able to be sewn back together if she needed them to be.  Her favorite shirt was pretty much gone from the wood chase, but her jeans were still in mostly one piece.  Her jacket was hanging on a chair in a corner, torn with holes and there were some branches still stuck in the dark blue material.  Her favorite boots were now gone, to only God knows where.  She slung her feet over the side of the bed and looked down at her feet.  'Why so big?'  She looked down at her hand to see how her burn was, but it wasn't there any more.  'How strange . . .'she scratched her head and brushed over her ear . . . her pointed ear?

"What?"  She felt her ear and looked in the mirror that was above the bed.  She looked at herself and the realization finally hit, "I'm a hobbit! - Er, hobbitlass . . ." She looked at her hand knowing no mark was there anymore, but she knew that it had to have something to do with her no longer being human.

She decided to think about it later and start to figure out where she was now.  Last time she was awake, she was rolling down the hill with goblins following close behind.  "I wonder where Gandalf is," she looked at the edge of the bed.

"He left to find some answers about you."  Aubrey turned her head toward the door, where a gentlehobbit stood with a bowl of what looked like soup in his hands.  He was older then what she thought he would look like, but she knew right away whom it was standing before her.

"The great Frodo Baggins, I presume.  The one who took the burden of the ring."

"Gandalf was right.  You do know a lot for your young age.  None the less that was a long time ago.  And please, just call me Frodo."  He walked over and handed the bowl to Aubrey.

"So, how did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you.  Although I got a nasty shock when I woke up.  Not being in my own bed and all."

"I could imagine," he looked at the girl, "Well, you know who I am, but I'm still waiting to hear your name.  And since Gandalf warned me not to call you Miss, I have nothing to call you, lass."

"Oh, I'm so sorry.  Where are my manners?"  Aubrey extended her hand out holding the bowl of soup in the other, "My name is Aubrey Cander."

"Cander?"

"Yes.  What's the matter?"

"The name sounds familiar," he paused for a minute, but then continued, "I heard that you had a horrible experience concerning orcs.  Are you alright?"

"Yes actually," Aubrey looked down into her soup and started to spoon it around.  She saw Mandy falling toward the fire pit, just imagining the pain that she refused to show, and closed her eyes.  How much did she suffer being burned in the pits like that?  How much pain did she have keep inside so she wouldn't scream out, alerting Aubrey about her death to come?

"I'd much rather forget about it," Aubrey said trying not to show tears.  

"It's alright, Aubrey.  Orcs are nasty beings, and I believe that they do not deserve to have any contact with any other being," he pats Aubrey on the back, "I can understand if you don't want to talk about it."  Frodo got up and headed for the door, as Aubrey took another sip of the soup.  

"Where are you going?" she asked swallowing the soup.

"To wake up my son, Drogo, he has been waiting for you to get up," Frodo walked out of her room.

"Oh," Aubrey put another spoonful of soup into her mouth, 'Wait a minute!'  She spit out part of the soup that was in her mouth and tried her best to swallow the rest of it.   "You have a son!?!" she nearly shouted, choking on the soup.


	4. Drogo

Chapter 4- Drogo

Aubrey sat stunned, 'Frodo Baggins has a son!  Ugh, why is it that when I finally get to meet my perfect guy, he is married and has a son?  Why?  Why do you hate me?' she looked up at the ceiling.  She turned and threw her face into her pillow.  She was going to scream out her frustration, but felt pressure in her bladder, "Oh man, I gotta go!"  She got up and walked into the hall, saw Frodo and rushed to catch up to him.

Just as he opened a door in the hallway Aubrey caught up to him, "Excuse me, Frodo?"

"Aubrey, is anything wrong?"  Inside the room Drogo heard distant voices and opened his eyes.  He saw his father by the door, talking to someone that he couldn't see.  The other person was hidden by the open door.

"Where is the bathroom?  I would like to freshen up," her voice was like . . . her voice was just like in his dreams.  It had to be her.

"Of course, lass.  This way," he guided her to a door across the hall from Drogo's room.  

"Thank you, Frodo."  Drogo heard a door close and waited for his father to come and get him up.

Frodo soon opened his door fully, "So, you're already up."

"Well, almost," he slung his feet over the edge of the bed.  He rubbed his eyes and hopped out of bed, but not without stumbling over some material on the floor.  

"You better get dressed, our young guest is up," Frodo chuckled at his son as Drogo was trying to get a dirty shirt off his foot.

"Is that who you were talking to?"  Drogo got the shirt off his foot and grabbed some clothes from the end of his bed, then went to change behind the changing curtains in his room.

"Her name is Aubrey, if you would like to know," Frodo stated sitting on the edge of Drogo's bed.

"I heard," he pulled his favorite white shirt on over his head and put on his brown work pants.  He came out from behind the curtain, "I've never heard that first name before.  It's very original."

"Neither have I, now that I think of it.  Although her last name seems familiar."

"What is it?"

"Cander."

"That does seem familiar," Drogo gathered some more of the clothes off of his floor.  Frodo was very curious that he was finally cleaning up his room, after being only told about six hundred times this week.  "Well, I'm going in the back to the garden to take a walk."

"I thought you wanted to see our guest."

"I do, but I can't very well see her when she's in the bathroom, can I?"  He walked out to the hall and threw his dirty clothes into a basket to be washed.  His father followed him out and walked toward the kitchen as Drogo walked into the back.

Aubrey got out of the bathroom and walked into what looked like the kitchen.  Frodo was walking between the stove and the table, trying to set the table and cooking some breakfast at the same time.

"Good morning," she smiled walking up to him and helped him with the three dishes that he was juggling.

"Morning lass, up for some breakfast?"

"You up for some help?"  She took all three plates and set the table.

"Thank you," he tipped the pan to show her what he was cooking, "Do you like eggs?"

"Very much so, but no thank you.  That soup filled me up."  Aubrey smiled at him and he looked at her clothes.  They were very dirty and her jeans were tattered and torn.  Her shirt was barely there, and for the first time actually thinking about it, she was kind of embarrassed.  Nothing showed, mind you sick people, but she still felt a little embarrassed.

"Did you want to take a bath and change into something clean?"

"I don't think I would look very glamorous in your clothes, Frodo.  No offense or anything."

"Don't worry.  You can barrow some of my wife's clothes.  You look about her size," he turned off the stove, gave the eggs a final stir in the pan and turned to go down the hall.

"She won't mind?" Aubrey followed him to another room.

"I wouldn't think she would.  She has been gone for quite a while now."

"Oh.  I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, lass."

They entered a room and Frodo began rummaging through an old looking trunk at the side of the room.  Aubrey looked around and saw countless drawings and crocheted pieces plastered all over the wall.  She turned and saw Frodo was still looking through the trunk and decided to look closer at the artwork.  She found a small picture of a baby, more then likely of his son.  She saw other pictures that were of countryside roads and other nature scenes and smiled at the pure awe of the talent that was used.

"Here," she turned around to Frodo who handed her a few dresses.  She accepted them and looked at Frodo.  He smiled and pushed her toward the bathroom.  "Take a nice, warm bath, and you'll feel refreshed."

After half an hour, Aubrey came back out wearing a dark green dress that was for normal, casual wear.  'This isn't that bad.'  The dress hung lightly from her body, but still showed her curves.  She stepped out from the bathroom, drying her hair with the towel.  "You look very nice."

"Thank you," she looked around, "When am I going to meet your son?"

"I'm not sure, he went for a walk a while ago and hasn't come back yet," Aubrey sat at the table with Frodo and began to have a deep conversation about his life after the adventure with the ring.  And about his son, Drogo, which he said is about her age maybe a year older.  And about his wife who disappeared over twelve years ago.

"Gandalf told me about a raid that happened quite a while ago . . . I never knew that it would reach all the way here."

"Yes, neither did I.  That is why we weren't prepared," he stared into his tea.

"For all that it is worth, Frodo.  Even if you were expecting it, I don't think there was much to prepare with.  You did all you could."

He smiled at the young lass, "How is it that you are so mature?  Many of your age are usually playing around in piles of leaves and in mud fights."

"Although that does sound fun, I needed to be mature to help my mother when my father died."

"I'm sorry lass."

"It's alright.  I have adjusted, many people still think that I haven't, but I never really got to know my father since I was two when he died.  The only way I know him is through pictures, memories and my mother . . ."

"What about your mother?  She must be terribly worried about you."

"Yes.  I suppose she is . . ." Aubrey looked toward a window facing out toward the road leading to the market.

"Aubrey?"

 "A walk sounds like a good idea.  Do you know of any good places?"

Frodo sensed that she didn't want to go any further into the subject, "Well, there is a garden out back."

"Alright.  Thanks for the talk Frodo," she took her other clothes along with the other dresses to the room she woke up in and folded them nicely.  She dried her hair the rest of the way and put it back up in the clip that she still had, although it was now missing a few of its teeth.  She looked in the mirror and fixed all the parts that were standing up the best she could.  When she decided that her hair was the best it was going to be she left the room and started to walk down the hall.

'That is so sad about his wife.  I wonder how his son is dealing with it.'  She looked up at all the pictures on the walls.  She stopped at a specific picture of Frodo, a hobbit lass that looked his age, and a baby that was cradled in her arms.  She had light colored hair with blue eyes, smiling big for the picture.

"She was beautiful.  And she looks familiar some how," suddenly she closed her eyes and saw a great flame coming toward her.  She shook her head and tried to focus on the picture once again.  She looked at the background of the picture and saw a beautiful garden.  She stepped away from the picture and looked at it as a whole.  She saw her reflection in the glass of the frame and thought, 'I wish I still had that.  A full family.  I wish that I had more memories; too bad I was only two when it happened.  Maybe if I was older, then I could have enjoyed more . . .'

She walked over to the back door and stepped out into the sunlight.  Aubrey walked deep into the garden and found a small, stone bench to sit on.  Bushes surrounded the bench and patch of grass with all colors.  Roses, carnations and lilies surrounded her by all sides.  All the colors seemed to mix together as if they created a mosaic.  The picture was lost in the sea of colors that no mere hobbit's eye could catch.  Aubrey smiled and let the sea of petals dance with the light wind passing through the seemingly timeless maze of color.

In front of her there was a small pond with fish swimming near the surface.  Aubrey let her hair down and clipped half of it back up.  She dipped her toes into the small pond and the fish came up to her toe to nibble.  The fish were big enough to be koi fish, but instead of the normal orange and white color, some were blue and silver, red and gold.  They perfectly matched the radiance of the Koi back home.  She laughed a little and remembered a time when she was only three years old.

*~*Flashback*~*

"Wow!  Look at all the big fishys!"

"Yes, these are Koi fish, Aubrey," her mother came up next to her, "would you like to feed them?"

"Can I?!"  Aubrey's eyes shown with excitement.  Her mother smiled at the eager young child.

"Open your hands," Aubrey did as was told and she got a handful of fish food.  She threw it over the pond and laughed as all the Koi followed the food.

*~*End Flashback*~*

"Oh mother," she held her amulet close to her chest, "Please be with me.  I don't know what to think anymore."  From inside her hands she could see light trying to break through.  "How . . . it can't be glowing . . . can it?"  She opened her hand and sure enough the amulet was glowing brightly.  It soon faded, and the amulet was once again a normal jewel surrounded by gold roots.

"Mom?"

***

Only a few feet away, Drogo was pacing back and forth.  "How can it be?  She couldn't be the dream girl . . ."

"Who couldn't be what dream girl?"  Drogo turned to see his best friend, Faramir Gamgee trimming up the grass; at least that was what he said he was doing.

"Nothing of your business, Faramir.  And shouldn't your elder sister, Elanor, be doing our lawn?  I mean that is what my father is paying her for."

"Oh, come now, Drogo.  I'm your best friend.  And as such, I'll always be in your business.  Besides, my one and only older sister decided that she wanted to go and see the gentlehobbits at the Market today."  Drogo rolled his eyes, and tried desperately to get back into his train of thought.

Faramir looked through the nearby grass and bushes, "Is that the dream girl you were referring to?"

Drogo stepped beside him and peered through the bushes.  It was her, only she was awake and in a dress.  The last time he saw her she was asleep, peacefully in the guest bed, with strange, ripped clothing on.  But this dress complemented her figure perfectly, and her hair flowed down from the clip like an auburn waterfall.  She was looking at the amulet lying still in her hand, like she was waiting for it to jump to life.  Her eyes were so focused; so intense . . . Drogo had fallen into his own deep gaze without realizing it.

"Drogo!  Hey Drogo!" Faramir hit his friend in the head causing him to fall into the brush beside them, involuntarily drawing attention to them.

Aubrey jumped a little hearing the slight bump of something falling on the ground nearby.  She looked in the direction that the sound came from and saw a young gentlehobbit waving at her.  He had light brown hair and was a little chubby with brown eyes.  His clothes were a little grungy and the pants had over a dozen grass stains, "Oh, I'm sorry.  Did I disturb you Miss?"  Aubrey smiled, not noticing the other hobbit on the ground hidden by the bushes above him.

"You did no such thing, kind sir.  I was about to go seek some company anyway.  Are you by any chance, Drogo?  I heard from his father that he was looking for me."

Faramir smiled, "I'm not," he quickly pulled Drogo up from the ground and out of his dreaming, "but he is."  Aubrey looked at the hobbit now dusting himself off.  He was a bit taller then the chubby one, and much more handsome.  He looked as though he was part elf, just like his father, but his hair was a dark blond, almost a brown.  And his eyes were a light blue that seemed to look into your soul.  And Aubrey noticed his great build, not too skinny  . . . but not chubby like his friend.

"Thanks a lot, Faramir."

"No problem . . . But what did I do that needed thanks?"

"Pushing me into the bushes," Drogo said aggravated.

"Well, I wouldn't have hit you upside the head if you weren't in your own dreamland," he pushed Drogo again, but Drogo kept his balance this time.  Drogo hit him upside the head and they started to argue and wrestle on the ground, totally forgetting about the girl that stood before them.

Aubrey laughed at the pair, keeping a hand in front of her mouth so she wouldn't seem too rude.  They turned to look at what she was laughing at.  "I think that it is safe to say you two are best friends."  Faramir nodded and Drogo straighten himself up to look somewhat decent.  For a few minutes he stood there, frankly very embarrassed.  Faramir looked between the two and found that they both were afraid to look at one another.

"Well, I don't want to sit here all day in Lilly's garden," said Faramir and made his way over to Aubrey, with Drogo in his grasp.  He stood before Aubrey, "My name is Faramir Gamgee.  Son of Samwise and Rosie Gamgee."  He took a deep bow and stepped back for Drogo's introduction.

Drogo went up to Aubrey and took her hand and kissed it, "M' lady, my name is Drogo Baggins.   Son of Frodo and Lilly Baggins."  He let her hand go and bowed.

"Not to mention show-off extraordinaire," Faramir added in a type of whisper or grumble.

Aubrey stood up, no one noticing she was blushing, "I'm Aubrey Cander."  She curtsied the best she could and stood before the two boys, "It was very nice to meet you two, especially you Drogo; your father has told me a lot about you."  Drogo blushed and there was an awkward silence between the three of them.

"Well, I'm off.  Mother wanted me to fetch something for her from Market. . . Good luck, Drogo."  Faramir raced off after winking at his friend.

The two stood in front of one another, not sure what to say to one another.

"Sorry about Faramir.  Sometimes he gets carried away in introducing people.  He is just that way with his good heart," Drogo rubbed the back of his head a little nervous, "So, what exactly did my father say about me?"

"Nothing embarrassing, I assure you.  Just telling me that you are one of the most intelligent and handsome young hobbits that he knows."  Aubrey turned toward the garden away from Drogo.  She touched some of the rose's petals, feeling their silk affect, "This is a beautiful garden."

"It was my mother's pride and joy.  Apart from her family, that is.  I remember that I used to help her plant some of these flowers in the spring, and water them daily.  I have taken the job of taking over the garden for her, although Faramir's older sister, Elanor, is suppose to come in here once in a while to trim and take out the weeds.  The memories made with both of my parents in this garden were some of the best memories I have," he put his arms behind his back and paced around the small area.

"She was very beautiful," Aubrey turned to him.  Drogo was confused, and it showed on his face.  "I saw her picture in the hallway.  She looked like a nice person.  Someone with a good heart," Aubrey explained.

Drogo smiled at her, "Thank you, she was.  Although, I don't remember her very well.  She was taken when I was five years old."

"By the raid right?"

"Yes," he watched her, wondering how she knew, "she was one of the few taken."

"I'm so sorry.  I know what it's like to lose a loved one when you are young.  I lost– Oh, I'm sorry I shouldn't be prying into your personal business like this."

"No, it's alright," he laughed at himself, "Frankly, I don't know why I'm telling you about her, but I feel comfortable telling you.  You don't seem like the type that would be quick to judge."

"Well, there's one thing that's going for me," she sat down on the bench and held her head in her hands, breathing a heavy sigh.

"What do you mean by that?"  He sat next to her.

She looked at him straight in the eyes, "Nothing."  She grabbed her amulet and turned away.  Drogo almost sworn that he saw a tear form in her eye.

"It must be something important if you are upset by it."

"Who said anything about being upset?"  She sounded like she hadn't been crying at all, like she was as calm as ever.  She turned toward him again and smiled, "Your father was fixing breakfast when I left, and you must be getting hungry.  Come on."  She got up, but Drogo caught her arm.

She looked down at him, "I know that we just met and all, but I want you to know that I'm here for you.  You can tell me anything.  I want you to feel comfortable here."

She smiled lightly and took his hand, "Thank you.  That means a lot to me.  To be in a strange place, it's good to know that I have at least one friend.  At least one person to trust."  He got up and walked with her hand-in-hand back to Bag End.


	5. New Lessons

Chapter 5- New Lessons

Frodo watched with a smile as the young hobbits walked back hand in hand.  'I wonder . . .' a small smirk began to form on his face.  The two entered the house, after releasing one another's hand, and sat down at the table.  "I was wondering when you two would show up."  Aubrey smiled, looked over at Drogo and noticed that both of their stomachs were growling.

"You know, now that I think about it, I think that I would like something to eat, Frodo," Aubrey said smiling.

"I would think you would like something to eat.  You two have been out so long; it just turned the right time for elevensies."

"I missed second breakfast!?"  Drogo yelled from across the table from Aubrey.  

She laughed under her breath, "Calm down, Drogo.  So did I and I'm alright."

"But you must understand, Drogo never misses a meal. Sometimes I think he is more of a Took then a Baggins," Frodo leaned in front of her while loading her plate with some good-looking stew.  She laughed out loud remembering how Pippin had nearly begged for food every chance he had.  As soon as the plate was set down in front of him, Drogo dug in.  Aubrey soon found herself almost shoveling the stew into her mouth as she finally realized how hungry she was.

After elevensies all three sat, unmoving being weighed down with the meal in their stomachs.  "So, Drogo, you finished your work, didn't you?"

Drogo snapped his head up, "I forgot about my Elvish!"  He jumped from his chair and ran toward his room apparently, no longer held down by the stew in his stomach.

Aubrey looked at Frodo with a question painted on her face, "Elvish?"

"I have been teaching Drogo Elvish, along with other subjects that I have learned myself over the years."

"Have you been teaching others around Drogo's age?"

"Actually, I started teaching Drogo mathematics and geography when he was three, but I have only started teaching him Elvish a few months ago.  And yes, others stopped by occasionally and listened to me while I was teaching Drogo, but most don't come by regularly."

Aubrey thought for a minute, "Can you possibly teach me?"

Frodo smiled at the young girl and was very surprised that she actually wanted to learn, "Of course, lass.  Do you have any background in human based math?"

Aubrey smiled broadly, "Let's see . . . I know: basics, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, Advanced Math, but only some limits in Calculus."

Aubrey thought to herself if the humans in this world have even reached the point of calculus in the study of math.  Her question was somewhat answered by the perplexed look on Frodo's face.

Frodo was surprised to say the least, "That's alright.  Drogo is just starting Advanced Math.  You could probably help him."  He looked at the young girl, "How do you know all that?"

"My mother was very good at math.  And when I told her I was very curious about the figures on her paper, she began to teach me."

"Oh, by any chance do you know any Elvish or geography of Middle Earth?"

"No, I think I'll need help in those areas, along with history."

"Don't worry, Drogo's a great tutor.  Faramir, Drogo's best friend is usually the only one that comes to learn with him.  According to Drogo he is very hard to teach, but he has managed.  And after taking my shot at teaching the young hobbit . . . you have no idea how hard headed that hobbit can be."

Aubrey giggled, "I have an idea."

"Oh, how?"

"I met him while outside.  He is very nice."

"Yes he took after his father in being a kind hobbit.  But that head of his is going to get him in trouble one day.  But nonetheless, we're getting off topic.  Drogo will teach you Elvish and that is a promise."

"What was that father?" Drogo had come back from his room carrying about four books in his hands.

"I was telling Aubrey about your lessons, and it seems that she wants to join you," Frodo said looking over the many books in Drogo's hands.

"Really?" Aubrey nodded her head.

"But she'll need some help in some areas."

"Yeah, that human math can be difficult."

"Well actually-"

"Actually, I'm looking forward to it," Aubrey interrupted Frodo and gave him a wink.  "When do we start?"

"We can start in about two hours.  Drogo could probably show you some basics of Elvish since that is the subject he neglected to remember.  And I can't help but wonder why he has all his books in his hands now when he only forgot about his Elvish."

Drogo smiled and took Aubrey by the arm, "Well, let's get started, Aubrey.  We'll be in the den, father."

"Thanks again for the food Frodo.  It was great."  They hurried out of the room and into the den.

"So lets get started, shall we?"

"Don't you need to do _your_ work?" Aubrey asked placing her hands on her hips.

"I'll do that after I teach you."  He opened the book and began to teach her.  He began with the basics as he said he would, but after a little while, Aubrey got the hang of it.  To make sure that she understood it he assigned her some pages to read while he did his work.  Once in a while he thought he saw some light coming from her direction, but only dismissed it as light coming from the window.  After an hour in a half he finished what he needed to do and turned to Aubrey, who still seemed to be working hard.  He put his work in his other book and walked over to her.

"So, how are you doing on it?"

"I was finished quite a while ago.  It's on the book over there," she pointed to the pile of books next to her.

He picked up the pile of papers, "So why are you still reading?"

"I found it quite interesting and couldn't help but keep going.  I know that we haven't really gone over numbers yet, but this is chapter ten right?"

"Chapter ten!  Aubrey, you shouldn't keep going without doing some work for each chapter."

"But I did.  All the chapters are in your hands, Drogo.  Look for yourself."  He flipped through the pages of elvish that Aubrey had done.

"But it took me _months to get this far . . . I mean I'm only on chapter 16, you'll catch up to me by tomorrow by this rate."_

"It makes perfect sense to me.  Especially the history of Rivendell."

"That's fifty pages summarized!  In elvish!  You read all of it?"

"Yep.  It's a great story," Drogo sighed and stood awestruck at the girl sitting on the floor with her nose deep in the book.  He didn't know what to make of her. Many of the hobbit lasses in the Shire ran away from his father whenever he even mentioned his lessons.

"I'll be right back, Aubrey.  I'm going to go ask my father about any corrections you might need."

"Alright, I'll be here," Aubrey commented, her nose still buried deeply in the book.

Drogo walked out of the room and found his father standing by the window watching the clouds pass overhead and gently puffing on his pipe.

"Father?"

"Drogo, are you finished?"

"Yes, but about Aubrey-"

"It might take her a while to catch on, but be patient."

"Father, she has done all the work up to chapter ten."

"What?" he took the papers Drogo was holding and read it over carefully page-by-page.  "Drogo, these papers are perfect.  There are no mistakes, this is perfect Elvish."

"But how?  She just started learning it today?"

"I don't know.  I hope Gandalf gets back soon.  We need some answers about her," he turned to Drogo and handed him the papers back, "Go back and tell her to take a break.  I'll brink some tea for you two in a few minutes."

"Yes father," Drogo walked back to Aubrey and found her asleep in the book, "Aubrey?"

"Hmm?"  She opened her eyes and looked up.

"Father is getting some tea.  We need to take a break."

"Alright," she closed the book and got up.  She picked up the book and put it on the stack to her left.  She yawned and stretched big.

Drogo laughed at her.

"And what are you laughing at, Drogo?"

"You."

"And why me?"

"You just busted through ten chapters of elvish and then you took a nap like it was nothing at all."

"And you find that funny?"

"Yes actually.  No one has ever felt this stupid before."

"Well, get used to it," she smiled confidently and folded her arms in front of her.

He just shook his head, and sighed.  "You want to go meet my friends after lessons today?  I'm sure their dying to meet you."

"Why is that?" Aubrey opened one of her eyes looking down at him and asked with a light laugh.

"Well, knowing Faramir everyone in Hobbiton knows about you by now.  He takes after his mother with that."

Aubrey smiled.  "I would love to meet your friends.  If they are as charming as you, then I bet that I will love them."

Drogo blushed a little at the comment and looked at the doorway where Frodo just entered with a tray with three cups of hot tea placed on top.  "Drogo, are you alright?  You look red in the cheeks," Frodo asked as he set down the tray.

"Let me see," Aubrey took Drogo's face in her hands and looked closely.  She was only an inch from his face, "Doesn't look like a fever, but you should check your temperature just in case, Drogo."  She backed up from him and looked at Frodo.

"No, I'll be fine.  I think it just got a little hot in here," Aubrey shrugged and turned to get her tea.  Frodo looked at his son with a smirk on his face.

He whispered to him, "Is it getting hot in here . . .?"  Drogo just shrugged his shoulders and got his cup of tea as well.  Frodo rolled his eyes and sat down across from the two.

"So, Aubrey.  I heard that you filled ten chapters of Elvish in only an hour.  How did you do it?"

"I don't know really.  It just seemed to come naturally.  I understood every word written in the books," she took another sip of her tea and placed it back down on the table.

"And you thought you would need help in it," Frodo thought to himself and then got back up, "Well, it's time to get started on the studies.  Come on you two, and bring your books."  He turned and left the room.  Drogo got up and gathered most of the books sprawled on the floor.  Aubrey followed suit and quickly followed the other two down the hall.

They passed about five doors before they stopped at the end of the hall.  Frodo opened the door and inside the room there were two desks and old chalkboard at the front of the room.  On one side of the room there were two huge windows where light poured into the room like streams of golden rain.  There was a perfect view of Lilly's Garden outside, and Aubrey could see the pond where she was sitting at earlier.  Aubrey looked at the two desks, as she set down her things on the one closest to the windows.  "Frodo, why are there only two desks?"

"Whenever there are others . . . it's usually only Faramir.  And if there is more, we usually go outside to study."

"Oh," Aubrey took her seat, and Drogo handed her something that came close to a pencil.  Frodo got together some papers that were sitting on his desk, pulled out a large piece of paper and hung the blank side on the board.  "Now, let's see what you know about the geography of Middle Earth."

Aubrey could hear Drogo moan a little and mouthed, 'Quiz,' to her.  Aubrey's eyes went huge and she could believe that she had a quiz on something she has never studied in her life.

"Don't worry, lass.  This won't count with you."  He placed a blank map of Middle Earth in front of her, and only the outlined parts of the land were staring back at her.

She looked at the paper amazed, 'I know all of this.  Jane had me watch that movie so many times that I can do this in my sleep.'  She started right away filling in every part of the map, from the Shire all the way to Mordor.  She heard some frustrated noises from Drogo to the side of her, and felt sorry for him.

"Alright you two.  Time," Frodo collected it and found it surprising that both had scored perfectly.  "Great job you two."  Frodo asked Aubrey to point where her home was on the map of Middle Earth up on the board.

"I can't, Frodo."

"Why is that?"

"California isn't on that map.  It probably isn't on any map here."

"California?"

"Yes, that is where I'm from.  The problem is that I have no idea how the orcs got me here, or how I can get back."

Frodo soon moved from the topic and they began studying the specific regions of Mordor for an hour.  Drogo knew all the answers and gave them every time they were asked for as Aubrey just stayed quite and listened to Frodo's lessons.  Whenever he answered correctly he looked over at Aubrey with a smug smile on his face, 'Take that.  Me being the stupid one, yeah right.'

They soon moved to mathematics, "Any questions, Drogo?" 

"Father, I had trouble with number twenty.  It took me over an hour a couple of nights ago," Drogo said.

Frodo nodded and wrote the problem on the board.  As soon as Frodo turned around he saw that Aubrey raised her hand so she could have a turn to show him where she stood in the class.  Frodo let her come up to the board.  Aubrey demonstrated how to do the problem and didn't have one bit of trouble on it, although it took Drogo an hour to reach the same answer.  As soon as she was done she turned to Drogo and gave him a smug smile back.  "And that is how you do it . . . in under an hour's time."

"Is there anything that you don't know?" he asked her as she sat back down right next to him.

She shrugged her shoulders and turned to him, "Anything's possible, although you have already been out smarting me in geography."

After going over some minor history and reviewing some Elvish, they were released.  "Those were good lessons, Frodo."

"Why thank you, Aubrey.  That is very kind of you."

"When are the next ones?"

"Tomorrow."

"You want to learn more?!  You just totally made me feel like a dumb orc in there.  You have been here only a day, and you know so much."

"I can't really explain it, although I wish I could."  Frodo walked past them and into the den.  "I was ready for some kind of lesson; I'm starting to miss school."

"School?"

"Yeah, kids my age- well, actually of every age- go to a big building with different rooms and people stand and teach us different subjects.  Just like your father."

"That's interesting."

"I find it boring at times, but I am starting to miss it.  So, when are we going to meet your friends?"

"Do you want to go now?"

"Sure."

Drogo yelled down the hall to his father, "We're going to the leaf bed!"

"Be back before supper.  It will be ready in a few of hours."  Drogo grabbed her hand and led her out the door.

"The leaf bed?" Aubrey asked.

"I'll show you when we get there."  They both walked down a path heading in through the middle of town.  Many hobbits turned to look at the new hobbit lass, some whispering into other's ears.  None of them have ever seen a hobbitlass like her around hobbiton, so of course there was much gossip.  Others were still going along their business in the Market, not taking any notice of the new hobbitlass.

Drogo could tell that Aubrey was getting a little tense with all the eyes on her and decided to start a conversation, to get her to relax, "Is your home even further then Mordor?"

"Much," she looked at him and started to relax, "You know, I was just wondering where you got your name from."

"I was named after my grandfather, Drogo Baggins.  He died when my father was very young."

"I'm sorry you never got to meet him."

"It's alright.  Aubrey, how come you never talk about your family?"

Aubrey walked silently down the path for a moment and then took a deep breath.  "Because, some one in my family is really close to death.  And because of the orcs, I never got to say good-bye."

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's good to get this out.  But do you mind if we talk about it later, I don't like how all these people are all just staring."

"Sure," he looked at the others in the Market stalls and spotted a certain pair of eyes that he didn't want to see and turned to look straight ahead.

"What's the matter, Drogo?"

"Just keep walking, and don't act like anything is up."

"Oh . . ." she looked around at the different hobbits, "I get it, someone you don't want to see is in the crowd, huh?"

"Stop looking around like that," he stopped her by holding her shoulders, "How'd you know?"

"A girl's intuition," she tapped her head.

Drogo and Aubrey were soon out of the market and down a dirt path toward a small wooded area.

"What was it like?"

"What?"

"Your home . . . Cal . . . Cali . . ."

"California?"

"Yes."

"Well. . . where can I start?  I guess you can say that it is very nice.  It snowed in winter and in the summer it gets hot enough to go swimming.  I think the only bad thing about it was the valley girls."

"Valley girls?"

"Oh . . . um, how can I put this?  Girls that think that they are all high and mighty.  Placing themselves in front of everyone else.  Never caring for anything except for their popularity."

"They don't seem to act like ladies."

"Most don't," she looked at the small area ahead of them, "But I learn to live with it the best I can.  Where is this leaf bed anyway?"

"I'll show you," he looked behind them and grabbed her hand.  He ran into the woods, pushing branches and bushes out of the way.  Aubrey didn't have a hard time keeping up; she just had to keep her skirt up so she could jump over the small streams and logs.  They both laughed as they dodged and jumped together.  Aubrey even went as far as pretending that she was a run away.  Running from her parents with her only love to led her and comfort her.  'Whoa there!  Slow down, Aubrey.  You've only known Drogo one day.  Slow down that imaginative little mind of yours.'

"We're almost the-" Drogo ran right into something.

Aubrey helped him off the ground laughing and Drogo looked down at what he ran into.  "Faramir!  I knew you would be around here somewhere.  Well, more like hoping then knowing."

He helped his friend off the ground, "Then why didn't you slow down to give me some time to get out of your way?"  They laughed and Faramir looked at Aubrey, "Nice to see you again, Miss Aubrey."

Aubrey sighed, "Nice to see you too, Faramir.  Can you do me favor, and do not call me Miss.  Just call me Aubrey."

Faramir looked at her weird, "No problem, but why not?"

"I just feel uncomfortable when people call me Miss.  Too formal."

"Alright then," he turned toward Drogo pointing at Aubrey, "Strange, she's the only girl in the Shire that will not slap me for not calling her miss.  Anyway . . . on your way to the leaf bed?"

"Yep, going to take Aubrey to see it for the first time."

"And you don't have her blindfolded?  What are you thinking?"

"I'm sorry, is this a kind of a secret hiding place?" Aubrey questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

"No, I'm just missing with you.  You're very welcome to come."  Faramir turned the other way and started walking.

Drogo walked next to Aubrey and motioned her to follow, "We can walk a little slower; we're into the woods too deep for anyone to follow us now."

Faramir looked back at the two, "I think that the others are already there."

"The others?"

Aubrey looked at Drogo, "You'll see."

The two gentle hobbits stopped in front of a big bush, "Aubrey, welcome to the leaf bed."  Drogo moved the bush out of the way and Aubrey stepped into the small area.  There were dense trees surrounding them on all sides, with leaves all around their trunks.  In the middle of the area there was a small pond with a twenty-foot waterfall following into it.  Drogo moved forward and whistled to the trees.  Three other hobbits appeared, one from a pile of leaves, one from a nearby tree, and another from behind a rock.

"So, we have a new hobbit lass in our midst," the other boy stepped toward them from out of the pile of leaves.  He was about as tall as Drogo and almost just as skinny.  His dark hair covered his forehead and almost covered his eyes as well.  He wore a tan shirt with a pair of dark pants with the same color of suspenders, one side over his shoulder and the other side hanging loose.  "My name is Thomas Took," he bowed and let some of the leaves fall from his hair while Aubrey curtsied to him.

"Oh, don't spend your manners on the likes of my cousin," one of the other hobbits said, jumping down from the tree.  The other came from behind the rock.  Both had dark blond hair down to their shoulder blades, with pretty figures for hobbits.  The only distinguishing features between the two were the different colored eyes.  One of the girls had hazel eyes while the other had dark brown.  When Aubrey looked at them closely she saw that they were twin girls, "Hi, my name is Kate," said the one that jumped from the tree and had the hazel eyes.  She turned to her twin at her left pointing to the one with dark brown eyes, "This is my sister, Kat."

"You Brandybucks, never clean your dresses do you?"  Faramir stepped up to them folding his arms in front of him.  The two girls looked down at their dresses, which were covered with dust, and some grass stains.

"We do too clean our dresses, Gamgee!" yelled Kat looking up at him, "And we're proud to be Brandybucks!"

"Yeah!  Well said sister," Kate turned to Faramir, "Did your older sister tell you to say that to us?" Kate asked.

"No, I thought I would just point it out to you two."

Aubrey smiled, "I think their dresses are very beautiful."

"Thank you!" both cried in unison and hugged Aubrey.  "I like her, Drogo.  Where did you find her?"  

Drogo didn't say anything and turned toward Thomas who had a smile on his face, and his arms crossed mouthing, 'You got it, cousin' to Drogo.  Aubrey smiled and hugged the two back for the compliment.

After a few seconds Aubrey felt something hit her hand, and the three girls turned to see Thomas holding some mud in his hand, "Their not so pretty anymore."  He turned around, laughing until he was hit in the back of the head so hard that he fell forward.  

"And neither are you.  Well, now that I think about it, the mud is an improvement."

"Who hit me?" he got up and looked over at Frodo and Faramir.

They shook their heads, "It wasn't us."

"It was me," he saw Aubrey holding another mud ball ready for launch.

"It couldn't have been you.  It was thrown too hard, and that comeback was way too cleaver."

Aubrey's eyes went a flame with anger and threw the mud even harder at hit him in the stomach; throwing him into the tree trunk.  "Maybe it was you," he grabbed a handful of mud, "Here's your payback!"  He threw some back at her, but she leaned and the mud hit Kate.

"MUD FIGHT!"  Each one of them grabbed mud and started to target each other.  Aubrey finally felt as if she belonged and fit in this new world.


	6. New Hobbitlass in Town

Chapter 6- New hobbit lass in town

The group of friends, plus one more, crawled out of the secret leaf bed covered from head to toe in mud.  Each feeling exhausted from the actions of chasing and throwing in the massive mud fight.  Kate and Kat led the group out of the forest happily chatting about how they now have another hobbitlass in the group to talk to.  Faramir and Thomas were right behind them, also talking about the young girl, but there also was some talk about Drogo included in their discussion.  And lagging a few feet behind was Drogo and Aubrey.  "Your friends are fun and very nice."

"Aren't they though?" Drogo picked some mud from his hair.  Aubrey smiled and patted some of the mud back into his hair. "Hey!"

"Is for horses," she smiled and laughed.  He started to run after her, but she dodged him and ran through the four in front of her with Drogo very close behind.  

"Watch out you two," yelled Kate at them.

"And stop flirting," added Faramir.  The two chasing one another didn't pay any attention to the others.  Aubrey jumped and dodged Drogo as he kept stumbling, almost falling face first into yet another pile of mud.  She kept her distance in front of her and started flinging more mud behind her at him.

Once he finally caught up with her he grabbed her around the waist, "Now I got you."

Aubrey turned around, but didn't count on being so close.  They were both about two inches apart from one another, "Um, you cozy, Drogo?"

She got out of his arms and started to pick some more of the mud out of his hair.  He nodded his head from her previous question and started to lean toward her, taking her back into his arms, "Very."

"Drogo Baggins!  Where are you?"

Drogo let her go and she almost stumbled, until Drogo caught her arm, realizing he almost dropped her, "Sorry Aubrey." The others came up to them.  

"Drogo Baggins, get out here now!  I swear, you are the most unmanageable hobbit in the whole Shire.  Ow! – Stupid woods.  Branches always getting in my way."

"Who is that, Drogo?" Aubrey looked up at him.

"Do you remember about that person that I didn't want to see in the market?"

"Really, her?" Aubrey asked somewhat amused.

"She is one of the biggest sluts in the Shire.  Excuse my language," said Thomas.

"You shouldn't excuse yourself.  It's true," said Kat, "She dated Drogo for a few days, but at the end of the third day she asked Thomas if he wanted to go behind Drogo's back and date her," she explained to Aubrey.

"Oh great, another Cara," Aubrey commented.

"Who's Cara?" asked Kate.

"I'll tell you later.  Does this girl know about the leaf bed?"

"No, but we're far enough away from it that she won't see it," said Faramir as he stepped next to Drogo.  

"Well, let's get back to market, maybe she'll back off by then.  She tries to keep her image of a perfect little angel in town," said Thomas as they started walking again.  

They started walking hoping to go around the area where the other hobbit lass was yelling from, but couldn't make it.  Another hobbitlass came from the tree branches of an old willow, and walked toward them.  She had dark brown hair that went to her shoulders, with brown eyes that sparkled in a way.  She smiled and showed off her perfect teeth.  The first word that came to Aubrey's mind was, 'prep.' (A/N:  No offense to people considered preps or anything.  It's just that at my school . . . well; let's just put it this way, most of them aren't cool.)

"Drogo, I've been looking for you," she came up and grabbed his arm, "I was wondering if you wanted to buy me some things at market and go for some supper."

Aubrey sneered at the girl, and she felt a fire burning inside her own being when she focused her eyes on the girl's hand around Drogo's arm.  'Maybe this is what jealousy is.  I never really got to feel what it felt like with Jeremy since it happened so fast,' Aubrey thought to herself, and as the girl tried to put her arms around his waist the fire burned higher, 'Oh yeah, this is jealousy.  Get off him now!'

She leaned over to Kat who was next to her and whispered, "Was she always this way?"

"Oh yeah."

Drogo removed the lass's arms from around him, "Look Sandy, I told you.  After going after my cousin behind my back, there is nothing about you that is worth anything to me," Drogo turned his back and headed toward the group.

Aubrey couldn't keep it in anymore, "Denied!  Totally denied!"

Everyone turned to her and she covered her mouth, but smiled at what she said.  They looked at her with astonishment, no one ever stood up to Sandy before.  The others started to laugh at what she said, all except Sandy.

"What is so funny?" she stepped up to Aubrey, "And just who do you think you are?"

"Me?" Aubrey pointed at her own chest, "Hmmm, that is sure a hard question.  Oh, I know.  I'm the new hobbit lass in town that is just about to kick your butt if I hear that you are trying to hurt any of my new friends again."

"Like you could even try to kick my butt.  It doesn't even look like you know how to be a true lady, covered in all that mud."

"Like you know anything about being a lady, Sandy," said Kate from behind.

"Nice one, Kate," said Aubrey looking behind her.

"Thanks."

"Hey, remember the saying, Brandybuck.  It takes one to know one."

"Know one of what?  You can't even put a whole thought together," Aubrey looked back at Sandy.  "I think I know just what type you are.  The one who expects everyone to bow down at you feet and kiss the ground you walk on.  Even though the only thing that that ground is good for after you stepped on it would be for a compost heap."

Sandy looked at her with rage, "How dare you!  This coming from a girl that is nothing but a mud covered tomboy.  No, that would be complementing you.  You are a full fledged boy!"

"What did you just call me?"

"You heard me, BOY."

Aubrey turned to Drogo, "Would you mind if I?"  She motioned toward Sandy and Drogo got the idea.

"Not at all," he turned to the rest of the group, "Would you guys?"

"Please precede, Aubrey," said Thomas, "Afterward we could get something to eat."

Drogo laughed softly at his cousin's comment, "All say it is ok, here.  Please, don't let us stop you." 

Aubrey smiled, "It would be my ultimate pleasure," she turned and gave Sandy a punch on the face and another on the other side.  Sandy tried to hit her back, but only gave her a few scratches.  After a few minutes, there was a huge battle between the two girls.  Aubrey got up after she thought it was enough to prove her point.  Sandy got up off the ground with a soon to be black eye and a bloody lip, after giving Aubrey only a few scratches.

"What do you say now, Sandy?"

"I say that he isn't worth it.  None of it," she said pointing at Drogo, "he doesn't deserve anyone like me!"

Aubrey hit her again in the stomach. "Don't ever say that about Drogo.  But, then again you're right.  He doesn't deserve you.  He deserves so much more then some one like you."

Sandy fell to the ground and Aubrey walked over to the others.

"You alright, Aubrey?" Drogo asked as she came over.

"Yeah, I'll be fine.  Let's get out of here, little princess is making me gag."

All of them walked over Sandy, Kate and Kat making a point to step on her back at the same time, and walked toward Market and home.

***

For weeks, Aubrey stayed at Bag End with Frodo and Drogo.  She continued with the studies, and excelled in the elvish language, and soon will be surpassing Frodo himself.  At least that is what he said, with some joking manner, of course.

Each day her knowledge growing to a higher peak then the day before, she couldn't help but to keep learning.  Not only was it something interesting to do, it was also something to get her mind off of her troubles back home.  And when nothing could distract her from it she would find herself crying to sleep at night, with Drogo just on the opposite side of the wall, wondering why she was crying.

The weeks passed like moments and Aubrey soon found that she was there for a whole month that soon grew to two months and after that, Aubrey lost count.  Every day she would have lessons with Frodo and Drogo, and then follow Drogo out to the leaf bed to meet the rest of the group.  Some times Aubrey would run off with Kat, Kate and Thomas on their little escapades that their fathers must have gone on before them.  

Just the last week they found themselves in Farmer Maggot's crops and when they got home they found themselves facing the very disapproving faces of Drogo, Frodo and Faramir.

"When are you ever going to leave that poor Mr. Maggot alone?" Faramir shook some of the carrots in the face of Thomas.

"Come on, Faramir," Aubrey said putting Faramir's hand down, "I always go back and pay him for the vegetables."

"And where is the fun in that?" Kate asked putting her hands on her hips after Faramir took a big sigh and walked away.  Aubrey looked at her and gave her a wink.  Both Brandybucks and the Took left shortly afterward with Faramir close behind.  Drogo eyed Aubrey suspiciously.

"You are going to pay him back, aren't you?"

"Of course Drogo," Aubrey smiled putting her hands in her pockets and pulling out some currency.

"Where did you find that money?"

"From Faramir.  Kate gave me the idea."

"Aubrey . . ." he was about to scold her, but couldn't help but smile at her ingenious mischief.  She smirked back at him and walked down the hall and into bed.

Other days she would be out in the grass fields underneath the shade of the trees, reading and studying with Drogo.  Each day brought a new surprise, a new hobbit or hobbitlass to meet, and a new adventure.  Even though not every adventure was worth looking forward to.

One day while walking through market on the way to the leaf bed, the group once again ran into Sandy and her group of followers.  "If it isn't the little boy," she said walking up to the group with three other girls behind her.  Aubrey started to snicker at her appearance.  Sandy still had a tell-tale mark of the black eye that Aubrey gave her from their little run in the other day when Sandy tried to put down Kat.  That was very fun, both Kate and Kat joined in the fight with Aubrey.

"So, what are you laughing at?  Your stupidity?" Sandy glared at them.

"Actually," Aubrey stopped to take a breath, "I'm laughing at yours."  She started laughing once again.  "I mean, how many times do I have to beat you up for you to understand not to bug us?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to give you guys the point that you are all under me."

"Really?"  Aubrey looked back at the others behind her, "Did you guys know that we are all under a piece of bacterium of the lowest dirt?"  The others laughed as she turned back at Sandy, "I didn't think that that was possible."  

"Well at least I don't steal other lasses guys."

"No you just go behind your guy's back and try to date their cousin," stated Thomas.

"He's got you their, Sand," said one of the girls behind Sandy.  

"Shut up!" she looked at the bunch and stuck her nose in the air and turned back around toward her father's market stall.

Drogo came up from behind Aubrey and gave her a hug from behind, "I'm so proud of you."

"Why is that?" Aubrey asked, flustered by Drogo's sudden embrace.

"You are actually scaring her off with out even using physical abuse."

"Score another one for me!" Aubrey said jumping up.

"And let's celebrate with some food from the sweet stall!" Thomas added.

"Thomas . . ." Kate put a hand on his shoulder, "Sometimes other things come before food."

"And the other times besides those . . ." he persisted.

"You're right.  What am I thinking?"  Kate smacked her forehead like she made a huge mistake keeping the sarcastic point in her voice.

"Yeah I thought so. Now who's the one that is thinking?"

"Unfortunately you.  Now why is that thought so scary?"

The group laughed and started to continue their way to the leaf bed.

Sandy stared at them walking away from her, "She will pay for her . . . her . . ."

"Good comebacks?" one of the girls named Olivia suggested.

"Beating on you?" another named Belle asked.

"Shut up!  I will make Drogo mine again.  No matter what it takes."

***

Later that day Frodo had invited the whole group for dinner and sent the girls to go and get some ingredients.  Aubrey agreed as she dragged the other two out of the door.

"Why do we have to go?" Kat complained.

"Would you rather Thomas went and ate all the food before he even got back to Bag End?  After spending all that money on food, then not sharing any of it?" Aubrey asked of them.

"You have a point," Kate said.

"Don't I always?"

"Yeah, yeah," Kat pushed her in the side jokingly.

They walked along the road and watched as the younger hobbits ran along the roads and fields.  Aubrey smiled and was happy to see the young ones smile, but at the same time had to turn away when a mother came and scooped her child in her arms and swung them around.  Her mother loved hills and fields filled with grass.  Her mother even talked about having a small cottage out in the country just to have the comforting hills surround her.  Sure, it seemed cheesy to Aubrey at the time, but now . . . after seeing this place, no wonder her mother yarned to live in the hills.  How her mother would love to see this place.

A small hobbit ran around her mother singing a song and pulling on her dress to have her follow along.  Soon enough they go back inside and leave the other young hobbits to play.

"Aubrey?  Hello, Aubrey?"

"What?  Oh, I'm sorry you two.  Sometimes I just get into my own dream world and get lost."

"Yeah, but at least you don't get lost in it when you're waiting for food like Thomas, so we have to hurry."

"He knows it will take us at least an hour or so to get the stuff from Market," Aubrey said.

"So, what is with you and Drogo?" Kat asked upon reaching Market.

"Whatever do you mean, Kat?" Aubrey asked innocently.

"Come on, we Brandybucks always know when something is going on, don't we Kate?"

"Yes . . . we do."

Aubrey looked at her strange and wondered if she was keeping something from the group as well.

"I tell you both the truth.  Nothing is between Drogo and I but friendship.  Besides, I am like a stranger to these parts still," Aubrey walked up to the stall for vegetables and looked over the potatoes.

"What do you mean, Aubrey?  You've been here for months now!  You're no stranger.  Nearly everyone in Hobbiton knows you . . . well, at least heard of you," Kat said, "Isn't that right Mister Proudfoot?"  Kat turned to the man setting out the new vegetables.

The older hobbit nearly nodded his head, smiled and went back to his duties of sorting the vegetables.  "See Aubrey?"

"Ah, but Mister Proudfoot has seen me at least every other day.  It's far too much to say that the whole of Hobbiton has heard of me.  And getting back to my original point, I have been here only a few months.  And . . . it takes . . . time to like and feel for someone like that . . . or in that way . . ." Aubrey trailed off staring into the pile of potatoes in front of her.  Kate stood next to her and tried to get eye contact with Aubrey, but could not get it.  She looked at her sister then at a cart in the distance.

"Kat, didn't Uncle Frodo ask for some fresh flowers for the table?" Kate motioned for her to look at the flower cart.

Kat nodded her head, "He did, didn't he?  I'll be back before you can say Buckland three times fast," then ran over to the other cart.

"She'll never make it that fast," Kate leaned on the edge of stall, "Now, tell me the real story, Aubrey."

"I have already," Aubrey picked out half a basket load of potatoes.  "I'll take these," she said to Mister Proudfoot.

"Come on, Aubrey.  You can't keep it inside forever.  You now that either my sister or I will find you out sooner or later."

Aubrey stepped away from the stall and went over to a little less populated part of market.  Kate followed close behind, "So what do you want to know about me?"

Kate looked at her, "Everything that you want to tell me.  At least right now.  You know we can do everything in installments."  Kate smiled.

"Alright."

"Ok, for starters . . . where is this so called California and how did you get here?"

"If you really want to know, promise me that you won't shun me or think that I'm weird."

"I promise," she held up her hand, "Hobbitlass honor."

Aubrey took a deep breath after looking around, "I come from another world.  Another dimension."

"Excuse me?"

"Kate you promised."

"Just a question."

"Look, I don't completely understand it either.  I mean one night I'm in my bed, then the next time I wake up I am being held captive by orcs and-"

"Orcs?!"

"Yes, didn't Drogo tell you?"

"Of course he didn't.  I don't think he'd ever tell anything of the sort about someone's experiences.  Especially with orcs."

"Well, I don't know how, but they brought me here and . . . and well, I escaped with some help from Gandalf and he brought me here.  And that is how I came to be in the Shire."

"Well, if what you are saying is true- you coming from another dimension and all- then wouldn't you look  . . . well, different?"

Aubrey bit her lip, "Well . . . the thing is . . . that at one time I was . . .  different."

"What do you mean?"

"I was a human."

"A human?"

"Yeah, but . . . I don't know," Aubrey looked up with determination glowing in her eyes, "But now I know I'm a hobbit lass the strongest being I can be!  And I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Kate was shocked, but laughed at her outburst, "Alright, alright."  Kate suddenly thought of a question, "Have you told Drogo about any of this?"

Aubrey turned to her quickly, "Of course not!  Don't you see Kate that is why I can't . . . I don't want him to know about my past.  What is done is done.  I don't think I can go back.  I don't want him to know about it.  I mean, of course he knows about the orcs, but he knows nothing of me at one time being a human.  So please no word of this to him or the others.  Please?"

Kate looked into her eyes, "You know he wouldn't judge you any other way then what you are."

"Please Kate!"

"Alright, I'll keep it a secret," Kate received a grateful hug from Aubrey, "But I still think you should tell him the truth.  He likes you for who you are, not for who you were."

Aubrey looked at her, "He . . . he likes me?"

"Oops," Kate smiled nervously and grabbed the list of things from Aubrey's hands, "Let's see, what else is on this list of yours?"

"Kate!" Aubrey chased after her.

They soon both found Kat and continued with their shopping.  From around one of the stalls Sandy stepped into the light with her arms folded in front of her chest, "So that is your big secret, huh?  You used to be human . . . very interesting.  I bet Drogo's dying to hear the news and then he will be dying to step back into my arms."  Sandy laughed and ran off down the road.

***

Aubrey and the twin Brandybucks made it back to Bag End with no problem finding the items for supper.  All three laughed with each other and complemented Kat's choices on the flowers for the table.  Aubrey opened the door and all of the boys were sitting in the den around Drogo.

Aubrey looked at Drogo and saw that something was wrong, her smiled faded away completely.  He looked up at her and it seemed like he held sorrow in his eyes more then anything.  Kate and Kat took the basket from her arm and continued into the kitchen.  Frodo saw that the girls had returned form their trip and got the other two boys out of the room so Aubrey and Drogo could talk.  Aubrey still stood in the hall before the door.  Drogo had lowered his eyes back to the floor and studied his hands for a while.  Aubrey closed the door behind her.

"Sandy told me a real interesting fact today . . . about you," Aubrey perked her head up, "Why didn't you ever tell me about what you were?" he finally spoke up.

Aubrey looked over at him after she closed and locked the door, "I told you everything I could Drogo."

"Friends don't keep anything from one another Aubrey.  I told you everything about me, what about you?" he looked up at her.

"Some things, you have to keep to yourself.  That's the way I was taught."

"Well, I was taught differently," he said it in such a harsh tone, that Aubrey felt the bitter sting of his words and turned her head.  Her eyes focused on the fire that they were beginning to build in the fireplace.

"I don't see why this is so important, Drogo.  Am I not entitled to some secrets of my own?"

"But these secrets?  I thought as your friend here that you would have told me."

"And let you think that I was crazy?"

"Is that why you cry at night?  Because you were afraid of telling me.  Because you were afraid of what others might have thought of you?"

Aubrey walked away from him, trying to get as close as she could to the fire that was glowing hot.  For some reason or another, she felt too cold for comfort.  "No.  That was never the reason for my crying.  And I would much rather that that reason be kept to myself."

"Oh great another secret," Drogo leaned back in his chair, "Why don't you go and tell only Kate about it, I bet she would be happy to hear about it."

Aubrey turned at Drogo and fiercely looked him in the eyes, "You really want to know Drogo Baggins?  Do you want to know why I cry at night?  Because of my mother!  My mother was dying in my world and I'm not there with her!  That is why!  Why do you have to react this way?"

"Your mother is . . ." he suddenly began to soften.

Aubrey didn't notice as she turned away, "And these facts coming from Sandy no less!  Probably trying to ruin my life, just as is everything else around me."

"Aubrey, I-"

"Do you know what it is like for me?  I think about her almost every night.  Asking myself how it must be for her.  My father died when I was two, she had no one but me.  And then . . . to know that you are dying and . . . your only child is then missing.  She may be in terrible pain and I can't help her through it.  Do you know how that feels?  Do you now understand why?" she placed her hand on the mantelpiece.

"Yes," she turned toward him.  He now stood in front of his chair, with tears down his face, "Don't you think that I would think the same about my mother?"

Aubrey thought and started to walk toward him, "I'm sorry Drogo; it's just that . . . I didn't want you and the others to see me as . . . well to see me as anything but what I am."

"And we don't," he held her hand, "And I should be the one apologizing.  I shouldn't have reacted like that.  I was thinking that you didn't trust me or something, and I couldn't stand that thought.  I want you to be able to trust me with anything."

"It's ok Drogo," Aubrey started to cough through the tears, "I should have told you.  You were right."

"Look, I shouldn't have jumped to actions.  And I shouldn't have listened to Sandy."

"But she is right, Drogo.  I was at one time human," she waited for his reaction.  Closed her eyes and turning away to hopefully soften the blow.

"So?"

She turned back to him and smiled, "Is that all you have to say to it?"

Drogo smiled and gave her a hug, "Just want you to know that I don't judge you.  You are one of my very best friends."

"And you are mine," Aubrey hugged back.

"Um, Kate didn't tell you anything about me did she?" he asked stepping from the hug.

Aubrey thought about what she had said about the liking thing, "No, nothing at all.  Is there something that you need to tell me, Drogo?"

"No nothing," he said fast and walked toward the dinning area, "Come on, we have to see how much they heard."

"Do you think they were listening?" Aubrey wiped her tears.

"Now, who are you talking about?  Because you should know our friends by now."

"Yeah.  I should know our friends.  What am I thinking?"

"Come m'lady," he came back for her, offering his arm, "We need to eat and gain back the strength that you must have lost by shopping with my cousins."

"Thank you," Aubrey took his arm as they went in to eat.


	7. Moonlight Whispers and Deadly Marches

Chapter 7:  Midnight Whispers and Deadly Marches

After the supper and dinner later that night, the others were informed about all the facts and understood.  Thomas looked at Aubrey strangely for most of the night, but at the end only told her it was a joke.  "Never knew someone who was another species," he explained with a mischievous smile on his face.  Now all of them were huddled in the den around the fire talking of numerous topics.

"I don't see why you guys even listened to that hussy, Sandy anyway," Kat said sitting with the others.

"I don't know, sometimes she has really good gossip," Thomas stated laying sideways on one of the chairs, hanging his feet over the side of the arm.

"Exactly Kat's point," Kate said back, "A lot of it is gossip and gossip only."

During the entire talk Aubrey kept looking out the window at the bright moon and was often some where else entirely.  She couldn't stay in the conversations and when asked on her input she didn't know what to say since she was never paying attention.  Drogo noticed her change in attitude and decided that the group had better be heading home.  It had been a long day and one full of surprises.

"Oh, one more question before I must leave," Thomas dodged around Drogo who was trying to push him out the door and went over to Aubrey, "I just have to ask . . . How did it feel to be human?"

Aubrey laughed at his question, "Just like a hobbit.  Except that now, it seems my feet are heavier and I kind of miss being tall."

"Hmm," he rubbed his chin and left out the front door, pondering.

"Aubrey, if you ever need to talk in another one of our 'installments' you know where to look," Kate winked and left with her sister and Faramir.  Drogo looked at Faramir with an amused grin and a wink as he left.  Faramir blushed a little and followed the girls.

Aubrey wondered about this, but got up out of her seat by the window and headed for the kitchen where Frodo was doing the dishes.  "Do you need any help, Frodo?"

"No thank you lass.  I'm almost done here.  And it seems that you need your rest.  All that crying that you did do no good for your eyes."

She smiled and snickered a little under her breath, "Yeah, I guess they aren't, but thank you for the meal.  It helped immensely."

"Thank you for getting the ingredients.  It couldn't have been such a success without you.  Goodnight lass," he smiled down at her and she turned to leave the kitchen.

"Goodnight, Frodo."

Drogo came into the kitchen after saying goodbye to the others.  Aubrey looked at him with no real emotion on her face, stopped dead in the room and wished him a goodnight sleep.  After Drogo returned the goodnight wish she made her way to her room.  Drogo walked next to his father.

"You should talk to her, Drogo," Frodo said looking into the soapy water.

"I tried that earlier as you must remember and it didn't go so well," he said picking up some dishes and help to dry them and putting them back in their place.

"She wants to tell you something important, she just doesn't know how," Frodo took a breath, "The same problem that you seem to be having."

Drogo looked at his father confused, "You know?  But how?  I have told no one, not even Faramir."

"I once felt like that as well not too long ago.  And I still do even if that other person is gone," he smiled faintly and hugged his son from the side, "Now, that finishes up the dishes and it is off to bed with you.  All of you have had a long day.  Goodnight, Drogo."

Drogo nodded and headed toward his room and hopped in his bed.

***

About one in the morning Drogo heard the familiar voice and sobbing from the room next to his.  He put his hand up against the wall and closed his eyes, 'I'm here for you now and forever.  I just don't know how to say that to you.  I know it seems so easy to do, but when it comes to doing it, well that is a whole different story.  Especially with someone like you.'

He looked up at his ceiling for a while, listening to her talk to her mother the only way she could.  In the silent of night, with the stars shining brightly and no one else listening.  He had done the same thing in nights past, trying to hear his mother's answer back to him, although nothing ever gave him a response to his outreaching heart.

He heard her talking about a young hobbit and her pursuit of his heart.  He was sure that she thought of some one else, he was sure that some other hobbit had taken her heart and stolen a good few glances at her and her at him.  Although Kate would tell him different.

She would tell him that those precious stolen glances were for him, that all those precious moments spent in her company was as special to Aubrey as it was to him.  But how can that be true when he could hear her describing another hobbit that couldn't possibly be him.

'Well one thing that she told me was to get it out.  And I might as well.  It is her and father against me,' he got out of his bed and went out in the hall toward Aubrey's room.  He opened the door slightly and looked in.  She was not it her bed, the covers were thrown to the side and the pillow had fallen on the floor apparently from her moving to get out of bed.

He stepped into her room, looking for any sign of her, and found her by the window staring at the countless stars in the night sky.  He smiled as he saw her clutching the amulet in her tight grasp.  She would never let that thing out of her sight.  He cautiously took steps toward her, so he wouldn't disturb her.

"Hey Drogo," she said not taking her eyes from the stars.

"How did you know?"

"I heard you get up from your bed," she turned to him and motioned him to come and sit down next to her, "Come on, I need some company."

He came over and took the seat next to her and stared out the window with her, "What exactly are we looking at?"

"Nothing in particular.  It is just relaxing to look at the night sky at times.  To try and count all the stars in the sky, but knowing at the same time that it is impossible to do so," she took a breath of fresh air from the open window, "It is just breathtaking."

"It must be relaxing, you've stopped crying."

"You heard me again, huh?" she looked down.

"Yeah, that is why I came to see you," he lied, but he had to admit it was a good excuse if ever decided to chicken out at the last second from telling her why he really came over to her room for.

"I just can't help it," she looked at him, "I'm sorry for waking you."  She touched his hand and walked over to her bed.  "I am so tired of crying, yet I cannot stop," she got under the covers and tried to bury her head in the pillow.

Drogo went over to her bedside and did something he never thought he had the guts for.  He climbed into the bed with her, on top of the covers.

"Drogo?" Aubrey asked, frankly very surprised that he was in her bed.  He put his arms around her, making one of his arms a pillow for her head and the other one encircling her waist.  He set his head near her shoulder and held her close to him.

"You don't have to hide the tears or anything else from me," he whispered into her ear.  She could feel his breath on her neck and chills went up and down her spine.  She turned to face him and looked him in the eyes; those light blue eyes that seemed to go on for eternity.  She couldn't find anything else to say to him, or was it that she was so taken back by his actions that she couldn't bring herself to say anything.  But then only one thing came to her mind.

"I'm sorry for not telling you everything," she said before crying into his chest.  He held her close and rubbed her back to sooth her.

"It's going to be alright, Aubrey.  I promise," he heard her muffled sobs from his chest, "Shhhhh," he kissed the top of her head.  He could feel his heart rip, 'If only you knew how much you mean to me Aubrey.  Then it wouldn't be so hard to tell you.  I don't care what you were; I don't care what you are.  As long as you are here with me, I wouldn't want you to become anything else then what you are.  I wish I could just tell you.'

They stayed together that night, in one another's embrace.  Aubrey fell asleep first putting all her strength into her sobbing, she fell asleep fast.  Drogo didn't stay up too much later after that, he too couldn't fake how much energy he lost from his earlier 'talk' with her.  Before either one of them went to sleep at their separate times they both thought silently to themselves, 'I wish I could just tell you that I think I am in love with you.'

***

Aubrey and Drogo had finished another couple of lessons with Frodo in the late afternoon the next day, completing the study of the geography of Mordor.  Drogo felt confident that he passed in flying colors, while Aubrey took the pessimistic thinking and thought that she had never done worse.

"Oh, come on, Aubrey.  Just be glad that you got through alive."

Aubrey lit up, "Thank goodness, I thought that that section would take forever," she smiled as they both walked down the road.

They began to talk about other things, trying to stay away from the subjects of their mothers and the test that just occurred.  Both Aubrey and Drogo found the comfort that they had lost from their mothers' absences in each other.  Sure, it wasn't the same, but at least they knew that no one was holding back.  Except that one certain topic that neither wanted the other to know, at least not yet.

They were both to caught up in the conversation with one another to even notice Sandy as she came up to the two and looked at them both, focusing primarily on Aubrey, "And how are you two today?"

"Just fine Sandy," Aubrey said a little annoyed, "And how are you and your run away mouth doing?"

Sandy glared at Aubrey, "_I'm_ doing just fine."  She turned her attention to Drogo, "Well, Drogo, I wouldn't think that you would associate yourself with a _hobbitlass like this one.  I mean once being a human.  I would stay as far away from her as I could with her being so dishonest to her closest friends.  And being so far away from home and all.  How many dimensions or worlds did you say you are from home, Aubrey?"_

"Sandy do me a favor," Drogo looked at her harshly before Aubrey could answer her, "Shut up."

She looked at him with her mouth wide open, "What did you just say to me Drogo Baggins?"

"See, she can't even keep that promise to me," he said to Aubrey as they made their way to the leafbed, "And Sandy, don't you ever let me catch you saying things about Aubrey.  She is more of a lady then you'll ever become," looking behind them at Sandy.

Aubrey smiled at him, "Wow Drogo, score one for you.  Even though I wouldn't have minded to beat her face in."

"Well, you don't need that right now," he said seriously.  She smirked and kissed his cheek.  He blushed and took her hand.  They both started to run for the leafbed sure that the others were there waiting for them.

Once reaching the leaf bed, Aubrey and Drogo joined the group that was only lying around.  Kate was in her tree swinging her foot back and forth, counting the seconds in a minute.  Faramir was at the bottom of the tree picking the leafs, that Kate dropped on him, from his hair.  Thomas was on a rock sketching some designs into the surface with a kind of white rock that acted like chalk.  Kat was motionless in a pile of leaves, asleep.  Aubrey sat at the edge of the pond with her feet making ripples on the surface.  Drogo laid behind her watching the clouds pass over, using his hands as a pillow.  Aubrey soon leaned back and used him as a pillow as she too started to watch the clouds.

"Come on guys," Thomas finally spoke up, "There has to be something to do.  I mean, we could go and pick a fight with Sandy and watch Aubrey kick her butt again.  Let's do something."

"I'm not the one that picks the fights, Thomas," said Aubrey, "If little Miss Princess wants a fight then she gets one.  It's not up to me.  Although the violence has gone down and all I have to do now is shake my fist at her and she usually goes off crying to daddy.  So where is the fun in that?"

"You're right; there is no fun in that anymore.  We could go down to that nice crop-" he looked at Faramir who had one of the worst glances in the world at that point, "Or . . . Um- I'm going to market; maybe they haven't sold all of Gandalf's tricks yet.  And I saw a really good supply of pies this morning on my way here," he licked his lips as he jumped off of the rock.

"We'll go with you," said the twin Brandybucks.

"I need to stretch my legs," agreed Faramir.  He looked at Drogo and Aubrey, "You two coming?"

"Nah, we'll stay here and watch the clouds," said Drogo, "It is very calming at times."

"See you guys laters," Aubrey waved her hand at them with out looking at them.  They both stayed silent watching as the stars began to show themselves, and the clouds began to disappear behind the dark velvet sheet of night.

"Aubrey?"

"Yeah?" Aubrey turned over on her elbows and looked down at Drogo.

"Do you ever think about your mother constantly?  I mean, do you have times where you can't help but think about her?"

"Of course.  At night, I always think about her, but you already knew that.  And I long to be at home enjoying her company.  I always took her for granted, and now I can't get back to her."

"If you don't mind me asking-"

"You know you could ask me anything, Drogo.  Always."

"Well, how close do you think she was to dying?"

"She has probably already died."

"What was wrong with her?"

"It's was disease.  It can't be stopped or prevented . . . and I never got to say goodbye.  The disease has probably already taken her, but at least I can remember her some how," she held tightly to her amulet, "I can always have the memories of her cooking breakfast in the morning and her perfume that she tried to chase me into wearing.  Now I would chase her to wear it, just to make her happy.  Even though I was never partial to perfume, I wouldn't mind it all that much.  Especially if it was my mother's scent, I guess it would be another way of remembering her, you know? . . . . One day I will get back at the orcs for taking me from my mother."

"My father always tells me never to hold on to hate; at one point it will corrupt you.  Then you will have no more hope in your heart, and then what would you do?"

"That is good advice.  But I just wish I was back home, by her side, you know?"

"I know," Drogo touched her hand with his fingertips, "Is there anything that was worth coming here for, Aubrey?"  She took her gaze from her amulet and into his eyes.

"There is at least one thing that was worth this trip," she brushed some of his hair off his forehead and bit her lower lip, unsure of what she was doing or what she was feeling.  He only seemed to like her as a sister, as a best friend, the fight they had the night before was a great example of that.  She started to lean toward him never listening to her thoughts clawing at the back of her mind telling her that she might be hurt again.  Drogo just stared into her eyes, not moving, not dodging her advances.  He even seemed to be leaning toward her.  Just before she felt his lips on hers she felt a pain in her head and her amulet started to glow.  She fell into Drogo's chest, clenching her teeth tightly.

"Aubrey, what's the matter?" he held her by the shoulders.

"My head," she opened her eyes, became calm, and touched her amulet; "Something's coming."  They looked up at the sky and dark clouds began to gather above the leaf bed, covering the bright moon that was only halfway up the sky, and a hard wind began blowing at them.  Something was coming and she much rather not be there when it did.  But she knew that it was no use to run, it was too late to run.  They would be caught in only a few moments of time.

"We got to hide," she took his hand and hid inside an old tree.

"Aubrey wh-"

"Shh . . ." Aubrey heard some heavy feet tromp through the brush.  Drogo and Aubrey smelled the air, and she knew for the rest of her life that she would never forget that smell.  The smell that could only make you want to throw up everything in your being.

Anger began to show as the dominant expression on Drogo's face, "Orcs," he said above a whisper.  Aubrey stuck the amulet underneath the material of her dress and it stopped glowing.

She heard the orcs roaming around the trees nearby, and closed her eyes.  She heard with in her mind, what they wanted.  Her.  They were searching for the girl that was carried off by the giant eagle months ago after they had . . . had changed her.  They changed her?

She felt two arms wind around her and it brought a sense of warmth and safety.  She opened her eyes and saw Drogo holding her protectively.  She could see him doing the same for a younger sibling.  That was it; he was protecting her as an older brother would have.  Nothing more, but this was not the time to be thinking about her feelings toward him.

Drogo watched as the orcs searched around, and then moved on.  He held Aubrey closer to him by each passing moment, hopeful that none of the orcs stayed behind looking in all the crevasses.  He could not lose two people that he loved to the orcs.  'You are not taking her, I will not let you take her from me,' he closed his eyes, 'You will not.'  After a few moments of not seeing the orcs, Drogo and Aubrey left the safety of the hiding place and began to run home.  Back to BagEnd to tell Frodo about the new threat to the Shire and to them.


	8. A Little Family History

Chapter 8: A Little family History

"Father!" Drogo burst through the front door with Aubrey right behind him.  They were both out of breath and in desperate need on water.

"Drogo calm down."

"There are orcs in the shire."

"What?"

"It's true, Frodo.  They were at leaf bed.  I think they're after me," Aubrey showed the look of worry on her face.

Both of them turned toward her, "Why?"

"I got a feeling.  I can't explain it; it was like reading their minds.  They're after me . . . and they'll do anything to get me.  I have something they want."  Drogo's face went to worry and looked toward his father.

"Gandalf was right," Frodo said.

***

Gandalf walked through the piles and mountains of books, hoping to find the information he seeks.  So much time had already passed, and he had feared that maybe too much time.  "Ah here it is," he grabbed a book with a white cover and sat down by a small desk in a dimly lit corner.  He waved his hand over the cover and gold lettering appeared on the cover.  'Lost Pieces of Power and Their Holders' Gandalf opened the book and flipped page after page until he reached a section that caught his eye.  He kept his eyes glued on the pages until he found a picture of the next page, "It can't be."

***

Aubrey laid on the bed in her room, looking at the ceiling hoping beyond all hopes that this was not happening to her.  It was all a bad dream.  'But is it _all_ a bad?  Is that what I really want?  For all this to be a dream?'  She looked at some flowers that Drogo had picked for her that were next to her bed and looked at herself in the mirror.  'I'm Aubrey Cander.  I can't change that.  I can't change the things that life throws at me; I have to take them as they come.  I can't change where I am now.  I can't change what I am now.  And I can't leave Drogo and the others.  They are my friends and family now.'

She looked in the reflection of herself in the eyes, "What I said to Kate was true.  What is done _is_ done.  I know that at one time I was human.  But now I'm a hobbitlass.  I know that at one time I had my own family, but now I have a new family.  And that's how it's going to stay.  I've made my decision.  This is where I'm going to stay.  I'm sorry mother, forgive me.  I have chosen to be now and forever a hobbitlass in the Shire."

Suddenly the amulet started to glow and Aubrey felt like she was being washed over with warm water.  The light faded and she looked at it in her palm, "Something's strange about this amulet that you didn't tell me about mother.  But I will find out what it is."  Aubrey looked past the amulet and looked closely at her hand.  Her hand had a major burn mark, "My burn's back.  Why after so long?  Why now?"  She touched the mark with her other hand, and it slowly started to shrink into nothing.

She was about to place the amulet in her pocket, but almost dropped it when the pain in her head started again.  She slowly tried to concentrate, and finally overcame the pain.  It wasn't trying to hurt her; it was trying to warn her of danger.  She placed the amulet around her neck, and tucked it under the top of her dress.  Something was nagging at her from the back of her skull, something that wasn't going away . . . the warning.

Then out from the den Aubrey heard furniture being turned over and the glass being broken.  "No, they couldn't have," she jumped from the bed and hurried to the door of the room.  As soon as she opened the door an orc stood in her way she backed away a little with the surprise and odor of the orc's presence.

"Going somewhere?" he grabbed her wrist and dragged her out to the den where both Drogo and Frodo stood behind two other orcs.  They both were confused and frightened, but at the same time she could see the anger that radiated from their facial expression.  As soon as Drogo saw her, his face also took the look of worry.  She winked at him and tried to give at least a small smile to tell him that she wasn't hurt.  She didn't think that the message got a across as Drogo's worry kept growing on his face.  The orc holding her threw her down to the floor and held a jagged knife to her back.  Aubrey gave out a loud gasp as she felt the sharp point held to her back.

"Aubrey!" Drogo stepped forward and then was hit in the stomach by one of the orcs standing by.

Aubrey watched as he sank to the floor, "Drogo!"  She looked up at the orc that hit him, "Don't you dare hurt him again!"  The orc above her took her by the hair and held a knife at her throat.  Aubrey tried to pry his arm away from around her, but he was just too strong.  She stayed on her knees, struggling against both the strong smell and the strong muscle that held the knife in place.

He turned to the other two hobbits, "Now, I'll ask you all.  Where is the jewel?"

"We have told you," said Frodo as he helped up Drogo from the ground, "We have no jewels here.  Please leave the young lass alone."

The orc holding Aubrey was growing impatient and held the blade even closer to Aubrey's throat, "Tell me or the girl dies!"  Aubrey let a small noise of fear escape her lips.  She was scared of death, but even more scared about what the orcs might do to Drogo and Frodo after they kill her.  Will they torture them for fun and kill them in a slow painful death in the end.  She couldn't allow that as she tried to struggle with in the orc's grasp.

"Please don't," Drogo pleaded as he struggled to regain his balance, "She knows nothing.  Don't hurt her."

Aubrey stopped struggling to watch Drogo try to stand up straight.  She felt her heart break  . . . why were they doing this to them?  If they want her just take her, but don't punish Drogo.  She wanted to run to his side, to hold him and just be reassured that everything was all right, as he did only the night before.

She closed her eyes, "Why can't everything be alright?"

"You have something we want.  Give it to us and we will let you live in your new form and let you live here.  But we want the jewel now!"

"You didn't give me this form . . . It wasn't up to you that I am a hobbit."

"You're no hobbit.  You're a human girl, placed in a world that is unfamiliar to you and scares you in the night.  One who doesn't know what is going on . . . a girl with a price on her neck, but doesn't know why," he picks up her right hand, "The mark should be back since we are clos- Where is the mark?  Where is the burn?"

"The burn is no longer there," a deep voice came from the busted doorway, "She has chosen her destiny, which means that you will never get the Jewel of Sorion."

"So the wizard returns."

"Gandalf!" Drogo smiled.

"Let the girl go," Gandalf stared at the orc down from the doorway.

"Not until we get what we came for," he signed the other two orcs to attack, but Gandalf hit them both with spells causing them to fly back into the wall.  He entered the hole and started to step toward the one holding Aubrey.

"One more step wizard and I will slit her throat."

Gandalf stopped and thought for a moment.  A smirk appeared on his face and proceeded forward, like the threat meant nothing to him.  The orc took the blade and held it tight on one side of Aubrey's neck and quickly ran it across.

"Aubrey!" Drogo desperately tried to escape his father's grasp, "No!"  Frodo held his son around the waist desperately as he saw Aubrey's body hit his floor.  He too couldn't stand the sight, but had to hold on to his son, or he might lose both of them.  He couldn't lose all three of them.   His wife, the young lass and his son.  He had to keep his grip on him.

Aubrey fell to the floor in a heap, motionless.  The orc looked down at her and smiled at his handy work.  He then looked up at the wizard who was now looming over him.  Gandalf cast a spell that threw him out the door and across the shire until he was out of sight.  Gandalf looked out the door as the other orcs raced away after their defeated leader.

"Let me go!" Drogo finally pried himself from his father's grasp and hurried to Aubrey's side.  Frodo collapsed to the ground next to the fireplace, unable to believe that she was gone.  The young, lively young girl that had so much insight and imagination, how can she have left as she had arrived?  With no warning . . . with no thought to how it had happened.

Drogo held her in his arms to look at the damage.  But as he turned her over there was no wound.  She opened her eyes and Drogo saw they were glowing with the light of her amulet.  The light soon faded and he looked into her eyes.  He took her face in his hands, "Aubrey, you're alive."  Frodo looked up from his position by the fireplace and took his face from his hands.  He looked over at his son to see that he was right.  She had indeed survived the blade.

She looked at Drogo and saw the tears in his eyes.  She jumped into his arms, "I was so scared they were going to hurt you, Drogo."

"Aubrey, I'm more worried about you.  And with one move . . ." he tightened his grip on her, "I thought I lost you."  He held tightly to her, clutching her hair in his hand and burying his face in her wild, uncombed hair.  She held on to him tightly and placed her head on his chest.

He put his chin on the top of her head and looked over at Gandalf, "What is this all about, Gandalf?  Why didn't you try to save her?"

"I didn't need to Drogo.  The amulet around her neck saved her."  He sat down in one of the small chairs next to them, "Aubrey, you know whom you are don't you?"  

Aubrey looked up from Drogo and stared at Gandalf, "I'm Aubrey Cander.  And with everything that is going on around me, that is the only thing that I know is for sure."

"Do you know your history?"

"What history?"

"You are the last living relative in all of Middle Earth of Sorion Cander, the only elf known to last have the most powerful jewel in existence.  And I now believe that you have it."

"Me?  An elf?"

"You're not just a hobbit . . . or a human . . . you're elf royalty."  Aubrey stood up with awe and confusion.  First she was human for the most of her life, then she came here and she's a hobbit . . . and now she's elf royalty?

"I don't understand Gandalf."

"I'm not very clear on this either, Gandalf," said Frodo, speaking up from the side of the room finally standing up once more,  "I knew of Sorion, but I never knew . . . I would have never thought that Aubrey . . ."

"Let me start from the beginning . . . 

"Thousands of centuries ago, even before the ring was forged, there was another priceless object of power.  Guarded by the elves named Cander.  They ruled over Rivendell and most of Middle Earth.  But only one heir was to take the throne of power.  A young elf named Sorion, the sole guardian of the jewel of power.  But this is not where the tale begins.

"It begins here, in the Shire.  There was a hobbit family, with one daughter.  She was the kind that wanted adventure and excitement.  So, she left to find her adventure in the surrounding forests.  For months she lived by her wits, dodging wolves and goblins, keeping up her search for adventure.  Never knowing that her search was coming to an end.

"One day, while at the creek taking a drink, she saw a reflection of someone behind her.  She turned and saw young elf.  He introduced himself as Sorion Cander of Rivendell.  She felt safe with the young elf and introduced herself as Hanna Shielding of the Shire."

Aubrey thought to herself, 'That's my mother's maiden name.'

Gandalf continued, "After a few weeks they became close friends . . . and eventually to something more then that.  She never knew who he really was; she never knew that he was the sole heir to the throne of power.  She didn't care.  As far as she was concerned she was in love with the only one she could love.

"One night when he came to see her, he brought a present.  The one thing that was almost as precious to him as she was.  An amulet, with a blue jewel surrounded by gold roots.  He promised that he would be with her for all eternity.  He gave up his immortality to be with her.  He then took the hobbit lass to his home in Rivendell.  Only then did Hanna realize who he really was.

"As soon as his parents set eyes on her, they disapproved of her.  She wasn't elf and wasn't good enough for the keeper of the jewel of power.  He argued that it didn't matter what she was, he loved her for her.  But his parents wouldn't hear any of it.  That night he ran from his home with Hanna by his side.  They ran deep into the forest where he found a pool of magic qualities.   They both gathered their courage and jumped into the pool, never to be heard from again."

"That is very romantic, but I think that the time line is really off."

"Why do you say that?"

"The hobbit lass . . . it is the same name as my mother's maiden name."

"But that can't be . . . it happened thousands, upon thousands of years ago," said Drogo.

"Not unless when they were transported to your world, they also transported through time.  None of the less, you are the last descendent of Sorion Cander.  And if he is your father, he should still be alive."

"Not necessarily," said Aubrey, "He died of a disease before I was two; my mother raised me all my life.  And now she has the same disease and may die as well."

"I'm sorry to hear that.  Sorion Cander was the last of his line.  But now you are here to carry out his work."

"Whoa, slow down.  Finish out his work?  What would that be?"

"To guard the jewel and take back the throne of Rivendell."

"But what about the Elrond?  And the elves, haven't they all gone to the Undying Lands?"

"Most of the elves have, yes.  But the others need you, Aubrey.  Elrond only took control because there were no more heirs to the Cander name.  You, Aubrey, are the true and only heir to the throne.  Possibly to all of Middle Earth."

"It still doesn't make sense . . . everyone, including my parents, were human.  But when I came here I turned into a hobbit."

"When the orcs had you, did they do anything to you?"  Aubrey shut her eyes; she didn't want to remember her time in the orcs grip. The constant screaming coming from outside her cell.  The fire pit that she has dwelled on for almost every night, wishing that she had found a way some how to stop all of it from happening.   "I know it is hard, but you have to remember."

"Before they were going to throw me into the pit," Aubrey said with great difficulty, "they had all the human girls place their hands on a kind of hot plate."

"You mean like a big sheet of metal?"

"Yeah, and after I put my hand on the plate I felt different."

"No wonder, the orcs got them from the wreckage washed away from Suraman's tower," Gandalf started to pace about the room, "They must have also found something to transport them from Middle Earth to your world, Aubrey."

"So you're telling me that I'm a hobbit because of magic?"

"No, not at all.  Those 'hot plates' as you called them are plates that are designed to show your true form."

"My true form?"

"Let me explain it this way:  If you were born here, in Middle Earth, the plate transformed you into that creature.  In your case you would have been a hobbit . . . well, mostly, anyway."

"That explains why Mandy was an elf before she died and not a human like when I first met her.  So, when my parents came to Earth, they were turned human to live with in that world.  Am I right?"

"Correct."

"Now things are making sense," she took her amulet into her hand, "At least most things."

"You have a great responsibility, lass.  As long as you protect the jewel, the spirit of your parents will be with you, protecting you through the power of the jewel."

Aubrey felt new warmth radiate from with in.  Aubrey stood motionless, looking into the deep color of the blue jewel surrounded by the roots.  "How can I be all this?"

"No one knows how these things come to be, but you are the one to take the place of power.  For the sake of Middle Earth."


	9. Training Time

Chapter 9: Training Time

"There is a huge burden on you now.  Can you do it?"

Aubrey stood in silence, "I have to take the amulet to Rivendell and take my place of power?"

"Yes."

"I'll do it for Middle Earth and everyone living here," she turned toward Drogo and Frodo.  "As long as I live, I'll protect this jewel and it will never fall into the hands of orcs."

Gandalf smiled at the young lass and looked at Frodo.  "Aubrey, you have a great determination," Gandalf said turning back to her, "You'll need rest.  You have a long way to go staring in a few days."

He turned toward the door, "I'll be back at that time with a pony for your journey."

Aubrey stood in the middle of the room, holding tightly to her amulet.

"Aubrey," Drogo put his hand on her shoulder, "I'm going with you."

"Drogo, I must do this alone."

"But you need friends right now.  Now more then ever."

"Drogo's right, you know," Aubrey heard Kate's voice from the back doorway.

Aubrey sighed, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, seeing orcs flying out of a hobbit hole _is_ an interesting site to see.  We just had to find where they were flying from," Thomas said patting Drogo on the back, "How much trouble can you get into, dear cousin?"

"We heard everything.  We're going too," Faramir and the others came over to Aubrey.

Frodo smiled as he remembered how Sam, Pippin and Merry had snuck into the secret meeting with Elrond and the others.

"You guys, this isn't a game.  This could mean the end of Middle Earth.  It's dangerous."

"Even more reason for us to go with you.  We can watch your back," Kat said leaning on the wall.

Drogo took Aubrey's hands in his, "We know it's dangerous.  We are still willing to risk a lot for a friend."  Aubrey looked in his eyes, "Let us help you, let me help you."

"No matter what Aubrey, if you say yes or no, we won't let you do this alone," Kate stepped next to Drogo.

"And we all know how to fight, thanks to Master Baggins of course," added Kat.

Aubrey looked toward Frodo for some help, "Can you talk some sense into them?"

"They will follow you no matter what, lass.  They won't give up," Frodo said simply, "Common sense doesn't penetrate their brains."

Aubrey looked at the four of them, into Drogo's eyes and let out an exasperated sigh, "Well, since I can't get rid of you guys . . .  Just promise me you'll all be careful."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Thomas leaned on her shoulder, "Uh . . . what exactly are we doing again?"

Frodo and Drogo rolled their eyes as the others gave Thomas a look that said, 'you idiot.'  Aubrey dropped her head and then slapped Thomas on the back of his head.

"Ow!" Thomas rubbed the back of his head, "That was uncalled for."

Frodo walked over to him, "You're defiantly your father's son alright," Frodo patted his back.

"We need to teach you some moves on sword, but with your background in learning . . . it shouldn't take very long," Drogo said to Aubrey as they all stepped outside.

"Drogo, can you stay behind for a second?"

"Yes father," Drogo watched the others start on basics, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Frodo took something out of an old chest and handed it to Drogo, "Take this."

"But, this is . . ."

"Sting, yes.  I think that it will be very helpful.  Keep it close at hand."

Drogo looked at the sword then at his father, "Thank you."

"Now go on outside.  Knowing Aubrey the others may need you to teach her advanced swordsmanship."

Drogo tied the sting to his waist and ran out side.

***

"Well Aubrey, it seems that I finally found something that you do not excel in as much as you do in math and Elvish," Drogo held each side of Aubrey's hands as he went through the motions of the blade.

"Well, fencing is one thing, but actually holding one of these swords is another," Aubrey tried to lift the sword up, but even that seemed difficult.

"It just takes practice," Drogo chuckled at her attempts.

"I much rather like the bow," Aubrey put down her sword and picked up a bow and strung an arrow through it, "All those summers at summer camps really paid off when we went outside for arrow practice.  Although, I am used to much shorter arrows."

She shot the arrow from the bow and saw it land fairly close to the bulls-eye.  "Almost Aubrey!" Thomas shouted from the target, holding up his fingers showing the distance that she had between the arrow and the bull's-eye.

"Never perfect.  You know, I never took you guys as ones who knew how to fight so well," Aubrey said putting the bow back on a wooden stand.

"Well, ever since the ring, my father doesn't take chances.  Now, again with the sword," Drogo put Sting up and they both began to go through the basic stands and moves.

"I don't blame him," Aubrey said hitting Drogo's sword, hearing the clashing of metal against metal.  She knew that it would take time to get used to swords, but until then she had her bow and arrows along with a sharp knife that anyone could use to defend themselves with.

"Good Aubrey.  We'll pick up from here tomorrow morning," Drogo put Sting away in a loop on his waist.

Aubrey did the same and joined the others on the grass of the garden.  They all looked at the open sky watching as the stars started to pass them by.  Kate and Kat had found a rock to lie back on while Aubrey and the guys used their folded hands as pillows for the backs of their heads.

"Well," Faramir yawned and stood up, "I'm heading in.  We all need our rest."

The others nodded and soon headed in as well, but Drogo and Aubrey stayed outside to take a walk around the garden.  They followed the water leading from the small pond, deeper into the forest's depths.

***

Aubrey held tightly to Drogo's hand and watched as small fireflies began to light up the darkness around them.  They stopped in a tiny meadow surrounded by bushes of red, pink and white roses.  Pine and Oak trees toward above the small meadow, giving patches of darkness and moonlight.  The swaying grass caught in the light wind gave the almost magic affect of giving the ground the look of water.

Drogo and Aubrey sat on a log that fell from the orc's earlier search for her.  She debated if she should lay her head on his shoulder or not, "Drogo, will you promise me something?"

"What?"

"If it really gets bad . . . get out," she looked at him.

"But if you're hurt . . ."

"My father's jewel will protect me," she touched the jewel, "But I don't want to see you get hurt.  You've grown precious to me over these last few months and I don't want to lose you."

"And you're precious to me," he whispered looking away quickly toward the stars.  Aubrey was surprised at the whispered comment; she never knew he felt like that.  Sure, she may have dropped over a million hints, but she thought all those hugs and the way he helped her, she thought all of that was friendship "When I first saw you in the back of Gandalf's cart I thought I dreamt you into life.  I was careful not to wake you because I feared that you would disappear."

"Why was that?" Aubrey watched him while his face was covered in the moonlight.

"Even before you came to the Shire I had dreams of a young girl.  It was you.  You were in trouble- every night you called out my name, reaching for me.  Then I saw you here . . . out of my dream and I knew I had to be by your side.  To be there for you no matter what."

'And possibly his feelings are still friendship,' Aubrey thought to herself.

"Maybe it wasn't the orcs who brought me here," Aubrey fumbled with her fingers as Drogo looked down at her, "Maybe the amulet saw that it was time to bring me here . . . bring me to you – er . . . to save Middle Earth."

Drogo chuckled, "Either way, the orcs finally did something right."

"I'm so glad you are some one who is nothing like Jeremy."

"Who's Jeremy?"

"He's some one just like Sandy.  After two days of being together he took off with Cara . . . a prettier girl," Aubrey looked at the sky trying to avoid Drogo's gaze.  What if he realized that Jeremy was right, there are prettier girls out there in the Shire that he could chose from.  Excluding Sandy, of course.  So, why even bother with a friendship with this normal looking, plain girl?

Drogo focused on her face, "That's impossible."

"What is?" Aubrey asked dully.

"That there is a prettier girl then you."

Aubrey looked at him with surprise in her eyes.  'Did he just say what I think he said?  Did he just say that I'm the prettiest girl he had ever seen?  Can't be . . . he's just being nice.'

"Why do you look so surprised, Aubrey?"

"How can you be so sweet?"

"How can you be so perfect?"

"I'm far from perfect, Drogo," she got up from the log and walked toward a bush with the red roses.

'Aubrey, you can't fall in love with a fictional character . . . I'm mean what will that accomplish?  Although, according to what Gandalf just said, you are a fictional character also.  And that almost kiss in the leafbed . . . that had to mean something to both of us, right?  Why does life have to be so complicated with all its twists and turns?  None of the less, you need to at least get the amulet to Rivendell and make sure mom is alright.  Or. . .'

Drogo stood up, followed her toward the bush and turned her toward him, "I don't think so.  I think you one of the most amazing people I've ever known.  Apart from your swordsmanship you excel at almost everything that has been thrown at you.  And I don't think anyone could ever compare to you."

He cupped her face with his hand and leaned toward her.  Both of their eyes began to close as they drew closer to one another.  Aubrey could feel his breath on her lips once again, but before their lips touched, Faramir and Kate ran into the small meadow . . . hand-in-hand?  Both Aubrey and Drogo jumped, surprised by the intrusion.

"A little late night get away, Faramir?" Drogo asked.

"I can say the same about you," he said back looking at the two in one another's arms.  They both blushed a deep red and let go of one another.  The two hobbit lasses smiled at each other.

"I'll see you in the morning, Drogo," Aubrey whispered as she let go of his hand and started to walk back toward the hole.

"Oh, no you don't," Kate let go of Faramir's hand and started to run back toward the hole after her, "You are going to tell me every detail."

"Goodnight Aubrey," Drogo whispered after her.

Faramir looked at his best friend, "And you never told me about this attraction, why?"

"Come now, Faramir," Drogo got out of his gaze, "I told you a mountain of times."

"Name once."

"Alright, how about the first time I saw her in the garden?  You know I couldn't take my eyes off of her.  And . . . and what about you and Kate?  I don't remember you telling your good ol' friend Drogo about that little infatuation."

"That just happened recently," Faramir folded his arms in front of his chest.

"Right, well I don't exactly know how Aubrey feels toward me, and if it wasn't for your intrusion, I would have kissed her and . . . well, maybe asked her to . . ."

"To be yours?" Faramir asked in a kissy-kissy voice.

"Oh, just be quiet, Faramir.  Let's get inside, we need our rest."

"I see you found them," Thomas said as they entered the hole, "The girls have all gone to Aubrey's room.  Apparently they had much to discuss."

"Yeah, well . . . we found them all right," Faramir smirked and sat in one of the chairs, "And I think all of us have much to discuss."

The two boys looked at Drogo and started to laugh.

"What are you two laughing at?" Drogo hadn't noticed that his face was turning the brightest red imaginable.

***

Faramir woke up in the den of Bag End.  Right beside him, holding on to his arm was Kate.  Apparently she slipped out of Aubrey's room in the middle of the night.  The girls stayed in Aubrey's room for the most part during the night; giggling and shouting about many things.

Thomas was half off the armchair and Drogo was asleep on the couch.  He looked around the room for any sign of Aubrey or Kat were up, but knew better.  He got up slowly so he wouldn't disturb Kate, and the smell of something cooking reached his nostrils.  Thomas also woke when he smelled the great aroma coming from the kitchen and licked his lips.

Frodo was cooking first breakfast in the kitchen when he heard the others wake up.  'Better go and get the lasses up,' Frodo turned the heat of the stove down and went to wake up the girls.  He knocked on Aubrey's door hopeful to wake her and Kat up seeing Kate out in the den with the lads.

"Aubrey, first breakfast is in ten minutes.  Might as well get up before the lads eat it all.  With Kate assisting them, it will be gone in no time."

Aubrey and Kat were inside trying to get dressed. "We'll be out in no time, Frodo.  Just try to keep them off for a little while!" Aubrey called through the door.

"I know with Thomas it will be difficult, I don't know how much time you can get him off.  But try hard," Kat called out afterward.

"I'll try my hardest, girls," Frodo said walking toward the kitchen.

A faint echo of, "Stay away from that porridge!" could be heard from the kitchen.

"It sounds like we need to hurry, Aubrey."

"Yes, it does," Aubrey looked at herself in the mirror and checked her new look, "But to capture a hobbits heart, I must dress the part."  Aubrey winked at Kat.

They walked out to the kitchen area and saw Frodo trying to keep the others back with a wooden spoon.  The relief spelled on his face could not be seen any clearer.

The two of them finally met the others for first breakfast as the others almost paid no attention to them as they were shoveling food into their mouths.  The other two sat down and started to eat in a slower fashion, and it seemed, as Frodo was the only one aware of their presence.

"You two look lovely today," Frodo commented from the other side of the table.

"Well, thank you Frodo."

Kate looked up from her bowl and saw the other two, "Oh my . . ."

"You want to look like this too, Kate?" Aubrey asked.

Kate only nodded her head and followed her sister and Aubrey back into Aubrey's room.  The boys kept their heads down in their bowls as they tried to finish their breakfast in one gulp.  Frodo rolled his eyes and kept eating his.

***

Later, after breakfast the boys were outside practicing more with the swords, getting ready for the girls to come out and join them.  Soon afterward the doors opened to reveal three enchanting hobbit lasses.

Kate and Kat were wearing almost identical dresses except for the different colors.  The dresses were only knee length, which will help them move when they need to.  One was yellow, while the other was green.  But the usual ordinary dresses seemed to have something more to them.  Faramir noticed it first.

"Kate, you look so different," he went over and picked her off the ground and started to twirl her around the garden.  Thomas looked at them with a disgusted look on his face, as they seemed to dance around the garden.

Kat saw his expression and stood beside him, "Disgusting, isn't it?"

"Very."

Drogo was watching them walking around the roses when he felt a hand land on his shoulder.  He almost shuddered at the touch, and immediately knew who it was.

"Aren't you going to turn around, Drogo?"

"I don't know if I want to."

"Why not?"

"I haven't decided the reason yet."

"Then maybe you should just turn around and take a chance," the hand turned him around and he faced the same eyes that he has fallen into the past few months.  "Well, what do you think?"

He looked at her and thought that he was still in his dream, there could be no hobbit lass that could be this heavenly.  "I think you always have a way to blow my breath away," he smiled and looked at her.  She willingly picked a dress that was knee length like Kat and Kate's.  But her dress was a dark blue, just like the jewel that hung around her neck.  Her hair was up in a ponytail, but some hair still framed her face.

"Thank you for the compliment, Drogo," she smiled and pulled out her sword, "Now, we need to get back to lessons in defense, don't you think?"

"Yes, I think we should," he took out Sting and stood in a basic starting position.

They practiced for a few more hours before they took a break.

"Aubrey, you may be bad at swordplay, but you kick butt at bow and arrow," Kat pointed out as she took the arrows out of bark of a nearby tree.

"Well, I need to make up for my sword some how, right?"

The group laughs, but then stops short when they heard a knock at the front door.  Aubrey turned toward the hole and immediately knew:

"It's time," Gandalf said to Frodo as he entered the hobbit hole.


	10. Camp Side Fires

Chapter 10: Camp side Fires

The group of six came from the back of the hole and stood before Gandalf.  Aubrey had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she should change out of a dress, especially if she was going on a mission just like this one.  The twins looked comfortable though, maybe it won't be as bad as she thought, and her mother always said that she wanted her to get used to dresses.  Aubrey thought back to her mother's continual statement in her defense, 'You're a girl, Aubrey.  And girls wear dresses!'

'If only you can see me now mom,' Aubrey gave the thought a small smile and rubbed her fingers on the fabric of the dress.  Drogo watched her from his position next to her and gave her a questioning stare when she finally turned toward him.  She gave him a smile and a small wink to tell him she was alright.  Ever since Drogo and Aubrey began to talk about their mothers they both were feeling more confident with in themselves to think about them; even though the thoughts were still a little painful.

The group found Gandalf at least trying to stand below the low ceiling of the hobbit hole by the side of the door.  Kate looked at him and said with a hint of question in her voice, "But I thought that you said we had a few days, Gandalf."

"I did, but the situation- wait, did you say 'we'?"

"Well, you did expect us to let Aubrey go alone, did you?" Drogo asked the wizard.

Gandalf looked at the group of young hobbits and couldn't help but smile.  They would stay loyal no matter what.  Aubrey looked at Drogo and they smiled at each other and blushed.  From the looked of it, romance would also bloom along with the strengthening friendships.

"Very well.  As I was saying, the situation has grown intense and you'll have to leave immediately-"

Aubrey was listening very intently to Gandalf when another nagging sensation went through her mind.  Gandalf's voice started to fade into the back ground as Aubrey looked around through the windows, thinking that there would be an orc staring back at her, but nothing shone back at her but her reflection.  She looked at Sting hanging on Drogo's side and saw that it wasn't glowing the faint blue that it did when orcs were around.  Aubrey felt the heat start to radiate from the amulet lying on her chest and couldn't ignore the pull in her mind.  Aubrey closed her eyes and the amulet stared to glow and after a few seconds she opened her eyes and looked at Gandalf with a worried expression on her face.

"Miss Cander?" Gandalf asked as he caught the look in her eyes.

Aubrey didn't care or pay attention to the fact that Gandalf had used Miss to address her.  She was too busy replaying the scenes in her mind and ran toward the door.

"Aubrey?" Drogo ran after her.

The sky had turned dark as Aubrey looked out over the Shire from the top of the hill and saw most if not all the hobbit holes being burned and rummaged by orcs.  She didn't know what to do as she saw Sam Gamgee try to fight off one of the orcs from getting into his home, but couldn't hold the three off at once without any weapon.  Aubrey saw him fall to the ground, looking unconscious and still on the ground.  Other hobbits ran into the forest hopeful to find refuge, but Aubrey knew that they would soon be picked up by the orcs following them.  Aubrey collapsed on her knees and began to cry silent tears.  How had they gotten into the Shire without any other previous warning?  How?

Aubrey didn't even cover her face as her vision was blurred by the flowing tears on the sides of her face.  Drogo came out of the doorway and stood next to Aubrey.  He saw her crying and took her by the shoulders, "Aubrey?  Aubrey?"

She was still looking at the blurred visions of the burning houses and she blinked and turned toward Drogo's face.  He was surprised to see the same burning light that she held only a night ago when the orc tried to slit her throat.  He shook her out of her trance and she blinked heavily and shook her head.

When she opened her eyes again she looked around at the Shire frantically.  The little homes were fine.  The quiet barks of dogs could be heard from some of the hobbit's yards and the silent whispers of babes still asleep in bed could be heard in the late morning air.  Aubrey didn't know what was going on . . . she was so sure that . . . it was so real.

"Aubrey?" Drogo tried again to get her back to reality, "Aubrey, can you hear me?  What is the matter?"

"The orcs," Aubrey said quietly.  The hobbits followed Gandalf out the door to see if their friend was alright.

Gandalf knelt down next to Aubrey and Drogo and looked her in the eyes, "What orcs?"

"The orcs are heading toward Rivendell," Aubrey wiped the tears off her face and sniffed, "They're going to wage war and try to destroy the city and the elves that stayed behind.  And . . . orcs are . . . are coming here unless the amulet and I leave right away."  Aubrey looked over the Shire and couldn't bring herself to imagine the peaceful setting to be turned into another fire pit.  Another setting for the orcs to torture more beings for their enjoyment.

Gandalf looked at her closely, trying to decipher how this normal girl knew so much, "How did you know about the orcs movements?"

"Let's just say I got another warning from my father," Aubrey held up the amulet in her hand, "Pictures came to my mind.  Horrible pictures that I couldn't ignore nor get out of my head.  Then, I saw the Shire and it looked so real. . . . I have to leave immediately.  I don't want this place to be in jeopardy because I am sitting here.  These people do not need another war on their hands."

The others looked at the late morning sun casting the light onto the fields of green and the small hobbit children who had finally gotten up from their beds.  They all nodded.  "If this place, our home, is in trouble we have to leave," Faramir said grabbing the nearest bag by the door and slung in over his shoulder.

Drogo helped Aubrey from the ground and nodded in agreement with Faramir, "We have to go as soon as possible."

"Very well, grab only what you need and follow me," Gandalf stood outside the door waiting for the young hobbits as they gathered their bags.  Each had only put what they needed in each bag and knew that this may be the last time they see their home in the Shire.

All of them began to walk toward the door, but Drogo stopped and turned toward Frodo, "Father?"

"I must stay here.  If orcs do manage to come here I, along with Sam, Pippin and Merry will fight them off."  Drogo hugged his father, "Take care Drogo.  I'm so proud of you.  And so would your mother."

Drogo stepped back and joined the group.  Aubrey walked up to Frodo and started to speak in elvish, Thank you so much for your kindness.  You have a kind and pure heart and I will never forget what you have shown and done for me.  You have been like a father to me and I will keep that with me always.

You keep your heart strong.  Don't let anyone tell you that it is hopeless, no matter how good their argument may be.  You will succeed.  Take care of Drogo. She hugged him and closed her eyes.  This was probably the last time she would ever see him.

She stepped away and turned to begin her journey, "Let's go."

The hobbits put on their cloaks and gathered near Gandalf.  He led them to the side of the home where there stood only one horse and a pony.  The others understood why only one pony was staring back at them.  Faramir put the extra equipment on the pony, "I told you that we probably wouldn't need the tents, Faramir," Drogo said from the other side of the pony, helping to strap down the top.

"Well, I thought that we were traveling light and a few tents wouldn't hurt."

Gandalf stepped beside Aubrey, "I must leave you."

"Leave?  Why Gandalf?" Aubrey asked a little shaken by the random statement.

"I must go ahead and plan for the fight that will come," he got on his horse and looked down at all of them who had now gathered by the side of his horse, "Stay off the major roads, I will want to see you in Rivendell."

"I don't understand why we all can't go with you," said Kate.

"I need to do some defensive spells before the orcs even reach Rivendell.  I have to hurry."

Aubrey watched as the wizard rode his horse into the wood.

"I guess we're up the creek without a paddle," Thomas remarked, "And without some food as well."

"Why give up so quickly, Thomas?  We have our paddle," Aubrey said still looking toward the thick trees.

"And just what is that?  None of us knows how to get to Rivendell.  I mean none of us have been there."

"Drogo knows how to get there," Aubrey said adjusting the pack on her back.

"I do?" Drogo asked when everyone turned to him.

Aubrey turned t him, "Think back to your father's lessons about Geography.  No one knows this stuff better then you, you know I have almost no clue what so ever."

Drogo thought for a moment, and then realized that he did know how to get there, "It will take a few days, but it is possible as long as my mental map doesn't short out."

"And give the trouble we're bound to have with orcs add a couple of days," Aubrey said absent-mindedly.

"Then we need to get going!  Let's save Rivendell and Middle Earth!" Faramir shouted from over by the pony.  They all jumped from how loud Faramir could be and raced down the path that would lead them to their new adventure.

***

Since they left earlier then they expected, Faramir forgot to pack the other three tents.  Two hobbits would be in each tent.  Drogo went over to Faramir, "I thought you said you had all the tents."

"I did have all the tents . . . that I could find."

Drogo shook his head and grabbed one of the tents, set it up and threw his bag into it and looked at Aubrey to see if she wanted to share his tent with him.  Before she caught his eyes she saw Kat tugging at her sister's sleeve.

"Kate, share a tent with me."

"Well, I was thinking of sharing one with Faramir.  We have a lot to discuss.  I don't think Thomas will mind that much," Kate said throwing her stuff into the tent.

"Please don't make me sleep in the same tent as her, Faramir!  Please I beg you!  I beseech you!  I'll even give you some of my food!" Thomas clung to one of Faramir's feet nearly tripping him as he tried to make his way to set up his tent.

"Sorry Thomas, but I can't argue with Kate," he too set up his tent and put both his and Kate's stuff into it.  Faramir and Kate started to gather wood and find a good spot for a fire because it was starting to grow dark.  Aubrey and Drogo both had amused looks on their faces.

Kat threw her stuff on the ground, "Touch me and die Thomas!"

"What are you thinking you sick-o?  Why would I want to touch my cousin?"

"I don't know and I don't want to know."

Aubrey looked at Drogo with a sympathetic glance and took the other tent down off of the pony, "Kat, you can share a tent with me."

Kat's eyes lit up with a bright light, "Thank you so much Aubrey!  You're my savior!"

"Yes, I get to share a tent with Drogo!  I don't have to brave a night with you!" Thomas was celebrating, jumping up and down thanking everything good in the world.

Aubrey and Kat helped each other put up the tent, hoping that there was no way that it was going to fall down.  By the time they were done, there was almost no way that it could.  Kat and Aubrey set their things in the tent and went to walk to where Kate and Faramir were setting up the last of their fire preparations.  Thomas set his stuff in the tent Drogo put up earlier.

"Sorry that I was intruding, Drogo."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, if it wasn't for the flirting duo, you would have been able to share a tent with Aubrey."

"It's ok, Thomas," Drogo said rubbing the back of his head and laughing nervously, "I think I'll get over it."

The two boys walked over to the others, dark had finally set into the forest depths and it was time to light the fire.  Faramir had the pleasure and lit it for the others to see.  Kat was sitting next to her sister who was playing with Faramir's hair.  Faramir sat on the ground right below the two twins.  Thomas sat on his own rock as close to the fire as he could get.  Aubrey and Drogo shared a log that was opposite Kate, Kat and Faramir.  Aubrey stretched and used Drogo's leg as a pillow for her head.  Faramir and Thomas watched for Drogo's reaction expecting the usual blush.  Although he did blush, which was hidden by the fire's light, he stared smoothing her hair, "Comfortable Aubrey?"

"Very," she smiled up at him.  Thomas and Faramir were surprised that he wasn't getting nervous or anything.  He was acting as if he didn't mind.  They didn't say anything as they stared back into the fire.

"It's strange you know," Drogo said staring into the fire, "Most people wait all their life for an adventure, but none of them actually believe they will ever have one.  And look at us."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Aubrey said from his leg, "I mean I've always wanted an adventure, but I never knew it would start with orcs crossing over from a different dimension to kidnap me.  Then finding out that my mother's amulet is the most powerful thing in the whole universe and that I have to guard it . . .  You know, being heir to Rivendell and all . . . I never expected that in my wildest dreams."

Aubrey looked up from the fire at the rest of the group.  They all looked at her strangely.

"You really look deeply into this, don't you Aubrey?"

"You can say that," Aubrey smiled and thought for a moment, "I probably look as deep into this as you look deep into your eating habits and food."

Thomas's stomach began to growl, "Speaking of eating."

"Oh man, Aubrey you said the magic word," Kat said from across the fire.

"Which one?  Eating or food?"  The two girls laughed and Faramir began to set up for supper.

After they ate, all of them were weighed down too much to even think about getting up.  Aubrey's head had many subjects floating through it; the biggest two had to be Drogo and her mom back  . . . home?  Did she see the world she left behind as home?  Still, after all this time . . . or had another place taken its place?  She had to believe so.  She had promised herself that she was going to stay a hobbit lass and stay in the Shire, although that didn't go as planned, now did it?

She looked up at Drogo who was answering a question of Faramir across the fire.  He looked down at her and was surprised to see her staring back.  She looked back at him, "How are you?"  She gave him a big smile.

"Pretty good, what about you?"  They both began their own conversation taking a break every once in a while to play with one another's hair.  Aubrey knew that she was flirting almost incessantly, but she didn't care since Drogo didn't say anything about it.  Thomas got sick of watching them and looked over at Faramir who coincidentally was making goggle eyes at Kate.

"I'm the only one who does have some one!" he sulked on his rock.

"What do you think I am?  I don't have anyone either," Kat noticed the attention that her sister was giving and getting from Faramir and began to wonder . . . 'Why Gamgee?'  She already knew that they were together and saw no use in her sister's futile excuse to try and hide it any longer.  Nearly everyone knew.

"The fire's starting to go down," Drogo stared into the dying flames, "Someone needs to go and-"

"We'll do it!" Faramir and Kate said in unison and ran off into the wood out of sight of the others.

"Dang it!  I wanted to go . . . they took my idea," Aubrey said sarcastically.  Drogo laughed at her and watched the flames go lower.

"So you had the same plan too, huh?" he got some wood from behind him and threw it on the pile.  He smiled at her telling her he was joking.

Aubrey stared into the fire and held her amulet close.  Suddenly she felt something in her chest, like a part of her was disappearing or breaking apart.  Something was gone forever, it fell out of existence and she no longer could feel the soft presence of it in her being.  She sat up holding the amulet tightly and still stared deep at the flames in the dying fire in front of her.  She walked over to the flames and put her hands out.  The amulet stared to glow once again.

"Aubrey?" Drogo stood up reaching toward Aubrey.

"Drogo wait!" Thomas put out his hand to keep his cousin back from Aubrey.

Aubrey brushed her hands over the top of the fire and it began to build, growing into a raging fire.  Thomas watched from in front of Drogo, "Forget the wood.  She's all we need to get a new fire started."

With in the flame pictures started to show and form.  Faramir and Kate came back into the clearing with some wood piled in their hands.  They immediately dropped it and ran over to the others.  Aubrey fell to her knees and watched as the amulet stayed suspended in midair shining a blue light into the fire.

From the intertwining colors of the blue and red flames a face began to come visible. Aubrey watched the color fade away as only a woman's face was visible with in the intense heat.

"Aubrey . . ." the woman looked at Aubrey.  She had no problem knowing whom it was with in the flame.

"Mom?" Aubrey watched as her mother looked at the group.  "These are my friends, mom.  They've been helping me."

"I see," she looked at the amulet, "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Frankly, I don't know _how you're here."_

"Aubrey, I crossed over.  I am no longer at home . . . I knew you would escape the orcs.  Thank God you found yourself in the Shire."

"Mom?" Aubrey's eyes stared to glaze over, "What do you mean cross over?"

"I died, Aubrey.  Through the power of the amulet hanging from your neck I have helped you and will continue to.  I'll be with your father.  We will be watching you as he always has.  I love you, Aubrey."

"But what am I to do now?  I never got to say good-bye and you . . . you never told me about this," she pointed at the necklace.

"Say good-bye now, Aubrey, and I'll explain as best I can with the time I have."

"Mother . . . there are no words to explain or to say how much I love you.  And how sorry I am that I wasn't there with you when you died."

"Let me tell you, it wasn't your fault.  I love you, so does your father and I will protect you.  As for your heritage . . . well, how would you have taken it when we would tell you that you were half elf and half hobbit?  Your father and I are very sorry that we never told you, I trust Gandalf told you abut the story."

"How-?"

"Seeing him in the movie with the trial of the ring, I would think he would find out sooner or later and tell you," her mother turned to her side, "I don't have much more time.  I just wanted you to lead a normal life.  This shouldn't have happened.  You must make it to Rivendell."

"I will make it to Rivendell.  But I don't know how to lead mother.  I can never become a leader like dad.  I can't be a queen or whatever they aspire me to be.  I mean, what can I do when I'm only sixteen years old?"

Her mother smiled at her, "You will find a way, Aubrey.  You always do.  Remember how hard it was for me to ground you?  And I trust your friends will help you on your way."

Drogo came and sat down next to Aubrey bowing at the site of Aubrey's mother in the fire.

"Drogo Baggins, I will accompany Aubrey on her journey.  Along with Faramir Gamgee, Kate and Kat Brandybuck and Thomas Took.  We will stay by her side."

She nodded, "Baggins . . . your father took the ring of power to Mount Doom, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did."

"I trust you with my daughter's safety.  Take care of her.  Aubrey, I have to go," the light started to fade as the flames began to flicker.

"I'm not ready to let you go mom.  I still need you."

"I hope so, but remember this always.  Your father and I will be with you always.  No matter what," her voice echoes as she fades away.

Aubrey stays on her knees as the amulet floats down into her hand.  She kisses the jewel and turns to Drogo, "I got to say good-bye."

He gave her a small smile and hugged her.  They both got up and walked toward her tent.  The others were still in shock from what had just happened with the fire.

"Well, I'm not going to leave for more wood anymore," Faramir said.

"Yeah, I don't think any of us are," Thomas said.

As Kat started to walk toward the tent with Aubrey, she saw Drogo tucking her in and talking softly to her so the others didn't hear.  Thomas came up behind her to tell Drogo which side he wanted to sleep on.

"Shhh!" Kat yelled at him.

"What?"

"You know, maybe we should share a tent, Thomas.  Just for tonight at least.  They need time to talk," Kat said motioning to the two in the tent.

"Your right . . . but I get the right side!"

"You only say that because it is closest to the fire and for the food in the morning."

He smiled, "Mmmm. . . I can't wait for first breakfast."

Kat shook her head rolling her eyes and watched Drogo get up from saying goodnight to Aubrey and stopped him on the way out, "Where do you think you're going, Drogo?"

"To my tent?"

"Nope, you are staying here and taking care of Aubrey.  Now march back in there and comfort her.  She has just lost her mother all over again."

"But-"

"No buts!  Now march!" she pointed at the tent.

Drogo looked confused, but then gave her a grateful smile and climbed back into the tent.  Aubrey looked questionably at him, but understood as she saw Kat's shadow head for another tent.  Drogo laid in the other blankets and closed his eyes facing Aubrey.  She watched him for a while until he opened his eyes.  She held out her hand for him and he took it.  They both fell asleep holding one another's hands.

Aubrey woke in the early morning, just before sunlight and felt something around her waist.  She opened her eyes to find Drogo still asleep.  From her movement he soon woke and looked at her in the eyes, "Morning."

"Morning," she smiled.  She started to get up, "We should start to get going . . . We have to make it to-"

She looked back at Drogo who held her close to him, not wanting to let go of her.

"Drogo I-"

"I just don't want to get up just yet," he looked at her in his arms, "I just want to stay here and be with you."

Aubrey nodded looking into his eyes.  To her this was the red flag.  She knew this had to be something crucial to their friendship, if not something more.  But if it wasn't she wanted to milk it for all it was worth, "Just for an hour or so."

About two hours later they came out of their tent and took it down.  The others were already up and were making breakfast.  Also at the same time trying to fend off Thomas who was so close to the able he could drool all over the food.

"About time," Thomas said to them, "Now can we eat, Faramir?  Please say we can eat!"

"Yeah, yeah.  Here Thomas," he put something in Thomas's plate and went back to cooking some more.

Aubrey watched as Thomas danced around the rock that he was sitting on the night before with the bowl in his hand happy that he had his food.

"Not my fault, Drogo wanted to sleep in," Aubrey commented.

Drogo just shrugged his shoulders and started to eat breakfast.  After they ate they packed their things and continued on.  

For days on end Aubrey couldn't help but watch Drogo when he was in sight.  He would also steal some glances at her when she wasn't looking.

'I know that I have feelings for him, Why is it so hard to say?  The way he holds me . . . there has to be something more there then just friendship,' she turned her head quickly away from him when he turned to look at her.

'Why can't I say three simple words?' he too turned away.

Thomas and Kat noticed the way they felt, but Kate and Faramir seemed to have slipped into their own little world, which no one could pry them out of.

"Drogo," Aubrey spoke up between the silence, "I have a question and please tell me you have an answer."

"What is it?" Drogo's heart was pounding and Thomas and Kat strained to listen without drawing attention to themselves.

Aubrey put her hands on her hips and looked him straight in the eye, "Do you have any idea where we are?"


	11. Orcs, Swords and Arrows

Chapter 11: Orcs, Swords and Arrows

"Um . . . yes I do," Drogo's heart fell in disappointment.  "We're about a few days away from Rivendell."

"Good," Aubrey watched him as he kept going, readjusting his bag more then usual, "Drogo, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Aubrey could hear the disappointment in his voice, but couldn't think of a reason why he would feel that way from a simple question like the one she had just asked.  The group soon stopped for a bathroom break between a grove and a couple of thick trees.  The others hurried off into the bushes, but Aubrey and Drogo stayed behind with the pony since they didn't feel the need to go.  Drogo looked at Aubrey and took a deep breath thinking on how to approach her.

"Aubrey, can I ask you something?"

"Always," Aubrey simply replied trying to preoccupy herself with a strap that seemed loose on the pony's side securing the tents once again.

"Do you feel anything when we are close to one another?  Something that you can't ignore as it is deep in your soul?"

Now if this wasn't a flashing red light, Aubrey didn't know what was.  She tried to keep her cheeks from blushing and dropped her head just in case she was.  She also tried to reply in a strong voice, but it came out in a small weak shadow of what a voice should be, "Yes."  Nothing seemed more pathetic to her in her whole life then that one syllable that came out of her mouth in that instance.

"What do you . . . think . . ." Drogo trailed off looking behind her.

"Drogo?"

"Shhh . . ." he checked his sword.  It faintly showed a blue tint, "Dark is coming and so are the orcs."

The others ran back out of the bushes toward them.  Faramir was the first to yell out of all of them, "Drogo!  Orcs are surrounding the place."

The sun set behind the mountains and orcs became to climb out from their hiding places.  "Hobbits . . ."

"This can't be good," Aubrey watched them run toward her.

The six of them were surrounded by orcs.  Drogo stood strong in front of Aubrey, Sting glowing brightly in his hands.  Faramir protected Kate and the other two looked around nervously holding their swords tightly in their grasps.  Aubrey didn't know what to do, a lot of the orcs were too close to be shot at with an arrow and she didn't know how to use the sword or dagger too well.

One of the bigger orcs stepped forward, toward the group.  Aubrey touched Drogo on the arm and stepped toward the orc.  Drogo touched her to silently ask her what she was doing, but she reassured him with a soft smile off of her lips.

"Why hobbits in this wood?  It isn't safe in the woods for hobbits," the orc said almost close enough to Aubrey that she could smell his awful stench again.

"We need passage, orc," Aubrey said harshly.

"Why leave so soon?  We need dinner . . . and pretties," he reached toward the amulet, but his hand was hit by a blue shock radiating from the jewel.  When the shock hit his hand he let out a little yelp of pain and retracted his hand.

"Well then we have a battle on our hands.  We have no plans to be on the menu nor to give you my amulet," Aubrey tried to draw her sword but as she got it out she fumbled it a little too much then she would have liked.  The orc before her laughed at her fetal attempts to even pick her sword's tip from the ground.

"What do mean to do with that, child?  You can barely wield it, not to mention fight with it," the other orcs began to laugh at her.  She couldn't take the taunting at her expense and dropped the sword.  The orc before her looked up from the sword on the ground to see an arrow aimed straight at its head.

"Laugh at this," Aubrey said quietly.  She let go of the arrow and let it fly through his forehead and nearly reach the other side.  Aubrey strung another arrow as the other orcs looked at her and backed up in perfect range for a shot from the arrow.

"Listen to me, orcs.  Step out of our way or end up like your leader."

"Stupid hobbit!  There are twenty of us and six of you."

"Wow, you impress me.  You can count," she pulled the arrow back and aimed for the orc that spoke, "I am Aubrey Cander, daughter of the legendary Sorion Cander.  I will not fail in my mission to unite all of Middle Earth.  I will be in power and all of you will be dead by the time I am done with you.  So your demise can be sooner or later . . . it's your choice."

An orc began running forward and Aubrey shot him in the side of the chest, "Any other takers?  The count is now nineteen to six."

"She cannot defeat us all!" all the orcs charged at the group.

"This should be fun," Drogo smiled at her as he took his place beside her holding Sting in his grasp.

"We can only enjoy it while it lasts," Aubrey let her arrows fly at every orc that made their way toward her.

One by one the orcs began to fall, breathing their last breaths on the damp ground.  All the hobbits except Aubrey were using their swords to fend off the orcs.  She tried to fend them off with arrows, jumping back sometimes to get a better lock on the on coming orcs.  The nineteen soon started to dwindle down to six remaining.

"So, we're six to six," Aubrey pointed out, "Still want to fight?"

"They may not want to, but I do," Drogo said holding Sting tight in his grasp.  He suddenly dropped his sword and held his side.  He knelt on the ground still holding his side tight with pressure from his hand.

"Drogo!" Aubrey dropped her bow and ran over to his side.

One of the orcs tried to take this to their advantage and charged forward.  Aubrey turned and stabbed the orc above her in an awkward fashion since she had never used a dagger before.  The orc staggered back showing his wound to the others then fell to the ground as others did before him.  The other orcs started to retreat and ran back into the wood.

Aubrey stood over the orc she had stabbed and hung the dagger straight over his heart.  "Tell Suaron that he better like it in hell, because he isn't coming back," Aubrey jammed the dagger into the orc's chest and stood up.  She wanted to hear the pain coming from the orc, but then again she wasn't sure why.  She had never waited to hear a single living thing die, but this . . . this she wanted to see, wanted to hear, wanted to feel.

She cleaned off her dagger on the side of her dress and ran back over to Drogo.

"Drogo?" she looked at a wound that was made earlier in the fight, "Faramir, help me carry him to the pony."

Faramir slung Drogo's arm over his shoulder as Aubrey tried to disinfect the wound with some herbs that Frodo gave her before they left and dressed the wound after she was done.  She put his other arm over her shoulder and took her place on the other side of Faramir.

"Thomas, if you can, try and get the arrows out of the orcs' bodies.  We may be able to still use some of them later."

Thomas nodded and looked at the bodies that he would start with first.  Faramir looked at Kat and Kate, "Be on the look out for more orcs, especially the ones who ran."

Aubrey tried to get Drogo to look at her by tilting his head up with her free hand and when he did look at her, his face was starting to pale and he could barely give her a small smile.  She tried to position him better on her shoulder and looked up at her, "We need to move fast.  We need to get him to Rivendell."

"But that's- urg," Thomas started struggling with an arrow jammed in an orc's body, "Rivendell is a few days away according to Drogo.  We have to find another place to at least rest.  Someplace closer, we will never make it if it is a few days away."

"I know . . . we have to think of someplace else," Aubrey thought to herself.  Then it came to mind after so many of the Geography lessons started to flood into her mind, "Bree."

"What?"

"Bree, the city of Bree.  It is only a little more up the forest path, we may be able to reach it by morning," Aubrey helped Faramir to get Drogo up on the pony, pushing some of the things into Kate and Kat's arms.  "It is probably the only hope of help for Drogo right now."

The others nodded their heads and followed Aubrey.  Thomas ran up to her side and handed her the arrows that he managed to salvage.  As he handed them to her she noticed a gash on his arm.  He looked at what she was looking at, covered it with his hand quickly and smiled at her, "Tis' but a scratch."

Aubrey gave a sympathetic smile and tried to keep a fast pace to make it to Bree.

***

Through the whole night both Faramir and Aubrey walked at either side of the pony to keep Drogo focused.  Aubrey would catch Drogo's eyes once in a while and saw the pain written in his eyes.  He tried to cover it up with a smirk, but she knew better then to fall for it.

After a few hours they had made it back to a road and followed it for a few miles until they came to wooden fence surrounding tall buildings that could be seen over the wood.  The morning sun was barely peaking over the mountains.  Aubrey asked Thomas to take her place beside Drogo and walked up to the door to knock.

"Yes?" a gruff voice asked on the other side of the sliding eyes hole.

"We need entry.  My friend is badly hurt and needs medical attention immediately.  Please," Aubrey pleaded to the man on the other side.  He looked at the others and saw that both Kat and Kate were also pleading with their eyes.

"Come in," he opened the doors and let them in, and quickly closed the door behind them.

"Where can we find help for my friend?" Aubrey asked.

"There is a man in the third house over there that may be able to help," he pointed to a small corner house down the street.

"Thank you," Aubrey pulled on the pony and pushed through others to get to the door of the home.  When she pulled on it she could not open it.  It was locked and would not budge.  "Oh no, he has to be here," Aubrey banged on the door hoping that if the man was asleep, he would wake up with the loud noise.

"Aubrey, look," Thomas pointed to a sign at the top of the window in the door.

_Out to Prancing Pony._

"Just like a man," Kat said folding her arms over her chest.

"Well, man or not, we need him to help Drogo," she turned the pony toward the inn and rushed inside with Thomas and Faramir not far behind her with Drogo on their shoulders.  Aubrey rushed up to the front desk and yelled up at the counter, "Excuse me!  Our friend is in dire need of help."

"Well, hello young mistress- oh my," the innkeeper looked at the weak Drogo in his friend's hands.  He went over to the other side of the desk to retrieve a man drinking from a small cup.  The man came over and took one look.

"Let's get him into a bed," he grabbed Drogo and rushed up the stairs and into a hobbit room as described by the innkeeper.

Aubrey and the others were ordered out of the room as he got to work on Drogo's wound.  The boys went back down the stairs to gather Kat and Kate who were still standing by the pony.  Aubrey told them that she would take it to the stables toward the back and that they shouldn't worry.  She tied the pony up out back and stood in the night air, staring at the fading stars melting into the morning light.  For once, they brought neither comfort nor relaxation as they did so many nights and early mornings before.

She patted the pony, "Thank you.  Sleep well, we may need you in a few hours time."  She stepped back into the inn and joined the others at a table.  Faramir was sitting beside Kate who was trying to comfort him and tell him it was going to be all right.  Kat was looking around at all the people in the room, watching if any were staring at them.  And it seemed as though Thomas was missing at the moment that she came in.

Aubrey looked at Thomas who had finally returned with a tall cup in his hands and gave him a disapproving look because she recognized the pint from the movie.  He looked at her and smiled a big smile that a child would give their mother when they knew they were doing something wrong.

"Thomas Took you aren't drinking a pint of ale are you?" Aubrey asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"Of course not," Thomas said as though she had accused him of a terrible crime, "It is another type of beverage."

"What then is this beverage?"

"I'm not quite sure yet," he took a sip of it and then placed it back on the table, "Nope you were right, it is ale."

"Thomas!" Kate hit him over the head, took the pint and poured it down the drain by the bar stools.

"Nooo!" Thomas tried to save some in his hands, but no such luck. Aubrey snickered at Thomas's attempt to save the drink and looked up at the stairs.  The man that was tending to Drogo had finally come down from the room.  Aubrey patted Faramir's arm and they both ran toward him.

"How is he?" Aubrey asked concerned beyond relief.

"I tried to fix him up the best I could, but he needs more care then I can provide."

"Will he be alright for most of the morning?  For a rest for the rest of us?" Faramir asked.

"I believe so, yes.  But I would set out as soon as you could later today."

Aubrey nodded her head, "Can we see him?"

"Of course, miss.  But no bothering him through out the day."

Aubrey again nodded her head and ran up the stairs and into the room with Faramir nipping at her ankles.  They both opened the door and peered inside.  Drogo was in a bed on one side of the room fast asleep.  Faramir held on to Aubrey's shoulder and looked her in the eyes.  He then turned and went down to get the others informed and ready for a rest.

She smiled and went to Drogo's side.  The doctor left a chair next to the bed, which Aubrey quickly took.  She looked at his face that still had some color, but still had less then what he had on the road.  He started to stir in his sleep and reach out for something.  He started to whisper into the dark room, barely lit with the early morning sun, "Aubrey . . ."

"Shh," Aubrey took his hand that was reaching out, "It's ok Drogo.  I'm here, I'm not leaving.  It's going to be alright, I promise."  She wished that her voice sounded more confident, but it came out shaky and not at all like what she planned.

He still started to shift below the sheets and started to sweat.  She took some water that was in a bowl next to the bed and soaked a torn piece of material with it and put it on his forehead, "Shh, Drogo.  I'm here."

"Aubrey, I . . ."

"Shh," she kissed him on the forehead and it seemed to calm him.  He stopped shifting under the covers and laid still.  The others filed in the door and started to take the beds in the room.

Hours passed once again and Aubrey felt herself slipping into sleep.  Faramir got up from his bed and tapped her on the shoulder, "Come on Aubrey you need your sleep."

"No, I want to stay up with him."

"Come on," he picked her up out of the chair and pushed her toward the empty bed next to Kate, "I'll stay up with him for a couple more hours.  There are only a few hours till mid afternoon and you need your rest.  You need to get us to Rivendell."

"Me?"

"Well, now that Drogo is out, you are the only one who studied with him and knows the way."

"Well, I better start remembering the maps."

"Yes, I bet you should, and rest.  Now sleep, I will stay with my friend."

Aubrey nodded her head and fell into sleep when her head hit the pillow.  Worrying constantly about Drogo and now trying to find her memories about Rivendell and the path they would need to take took a huge toll on her energy reserves.  She couldn't focus on a single subject as many pictures floated in front of her eyes. Mental pictures of her mother, the amulet and Drogo filled her mind.  Pictures of maps flew in front of her as she tried to focus on the right one.  She struggled with in herself, if she had to sleep; she had to make herself dream of the right map, of the right way.

After what only seemed like a few minutes she felt someone pushing on her shoulder, "Aubrey, you need to wake up.  It is nearing sundown."

Aubrey opened her eyes slowly, "What do you mean?  I thought you were going to wake me up at mid afternoon."

A blurred version of Thomas stood in front of her, "Drogo needs to get to Rivendell.  And the innkeeper, remembering Frodo as Mr. Underhill, gave us five more ponies to help get us to our destination faster."

"We all have ponies?"

"Yeah, let's get going.  Drogo is packed and ready to go.  Now you need to lead the way."

"All right, let's go," Aubrey got up and found her stuff already on the back of a pony, which Drogo was already on.  "I thought you said we all had a pony, Thomas."

"Yeah, well, I miss counted," he said from atop his, "But now you can be sure that he won't fall."

"Uh huh," Aubrey got up on her pony behind Drogo and felt for the reigns.  She grabbed a hold of them and started to urge her pony forward.  She felt the immense heat coming from Drogo and without looking at him knew that they had to get to Rivendell fast.

"We cannot stop tonight.  We have to keep riding hard until we hit Rivendell," Aubrey yelled back at the others.  She heard no argue, just the pounding hooves on the forest ground.


	12. Trust Talks

Chapter 12: Trust Talks

As they rode out of the wooded area, Aubrey remembered the scene in the movie where Arwen was riding hard to get Frodo to the safety of Rivendell.  Although she was glad that there were no ring raiders on their tails.  They cut along the plains and came upon the small river.

"We're almost to Rivendell, you guys!" Aubrey shouted back at the rest of the group.  She could see the trees start to disappear behind them and saw a small crevasse that was a river.  She started to slow her pony down hanging on to Drogo who now was slumped over in the saddle in front of her.  She put her chin on his shoulder to give him some kind of indication that she was still there for him, but only got a small groan in return.  'Hold on, Drogo.  Don't you dare quit on me now.'  All of the ponies started to slowly trot down the embankment of the gaveled, small, trickling river.

Aubrey started to bring her pony forth into the river, but as soon as the hoof hit the gravel an arrow hit the ground on which the hoof should have hit.  Aubrey looked up at the rocks surrounding the river's bed.  She jumped down off her pony and was almost hit with another arrow hitting the ground.

Stop!  You're entering sacred ground.  Go back or I will be forced to kill you all.

"Please!" Aubrey shouted out into the rocks and thought of something else, Please, let us pass to Rivendell.  We have come from the Shire and have battled a group of orcs.  My friend is badly injured and he needs help quickly.  We have done all we can for him, he needs elvish medicine. 

The rest of the group looked at Aubrey strangely, understanding that she had used Elvish, but not what she said.  They heard nothing from the rocks above them for a few minutes.  Then the voice boomed out from the rocks.

Who asks such a request?  And speaks in such elvish tongue to be taken as one of our own? A form appears from on the top of a cliff of rocks.  It was a boy elf with long hair, if Aubrey hadn't known any better; she would have sworn it was Legolas with darker hair.

I am Aubrey Cander!  Daughter of Sorion Cander and guardian of the jewel.  Please help us.  The one injured is the son of Frodo Baggins.  He cannot hold on much longer and needs help fast. We have nowhere else to turn. 

"I would never abandon a son of the bravest being I have ever heard of.  Hurry, let's get him treated," the boy came down and led them to Rivendell.

The other hobbits looked at Aubrey with wonder and asking themselves what she said to change the mind of the young elf.  Aubrey just gave them a look to say that she would explain it all later, but right now the only thing that mattered was to get Drogo to some help.

Every once in a while the young elf would look from Drogo to Aubrey who was on Drogo's other side.  Aubrey looked back at him every once in a while wondering why he was looking at her.  After a few seconds he broke the silence.

"I never knew of a hobbit lass coming from the Cander line."

"I wasn't born from an elf.  My mother was a hobbitlass, and I'm honored to have the appearance of one, even though my bloodline says different."

"Well, that makes sense and follows the legend, but could you prove it?"

"Only with my blood, my word . . . and this," she held the amulet above her chest and checked Drogo's bandage.

"Sorion's Jewel," he looked at her surprised, "Then you do have it."

"Why are you so suspicious of me?"

"If you are his daughter, you would have to be thousands of years old.  But you are . . ."

"I don't clearly understand that either.  According to Gandalf when my parents went to my world they passed through time.  As the orcs came for me, they too moved and traveled through time.  That is the only way I could explain it to you.  I am only sixteen and I have to understand so much."

"Well, being heir to the Sorion name, you are a princess.  And many princesses go through much they do not understand."

"Me? A . . . a Princess?"

"You will take Arwen's place as queen."

"How . . . but Elrond . . ."

"He died of an orc attack earlier this year.  Arwen has married Aragon and they rule both human and elf land."

"Oh my gosh . . . so much has happened since the ring."

"Well princess . . . here we are."

Aubrey looked over the land of Rivendell, "The movie did this place no justice."

The others looked over the land as well, "We made it," Faramir hugged Kate.

"Enough gawking," Aubrey said looking at Drogo who was starting to groan, "Drogo still needs help and may be fading."

They continued down the hillside behind the young elf.  They headed straight toward a main, white glowing building.  There standing in the doorway was Arwen, queen of Rivendell, "Philon, what have you brought along with you?"

***

Drogo felt the fever slip away from him and light surrounded him.  He almost instantly felt better because of the surrounding light.  The pain on his side was subsiding and fainting.  He could hear voices in the background and all round him.  He struggled, but opened his eyes to see Aubrey standing over him.

"Drogo!  You're awake!  Thank goodness!" she hugged him careful not to hurt him.  "I got so worried when you fainted on the road."

"You are just like your father, young Baggins," a woman elf came into the room, "He too came to Rivendell the first time unconscious as well."

"Rivendell?"

"Yeah we made it," Aubrey smiled at him.

"How did you find it?"

"Hey, I didn't forget all of your father's lessons.  No matter how I tried I couldn't get them unclogged from my brain," Aubrey scratched the back of her head.  Her hair was a mess, still messy from the trip and her dress was covered in orc blood and maybe some of her own as well.  The dress was in shambles and he wondered how long he was out.

"Well, we must leave you to more treatment," Arwen signaled other elves over to his bedside, "the princess and I have much to discuss after she gets cleaned up and presentable."

Drogo looked surprised, "Princess?"

"That's what I have to figure out," Aubrey said, "But you have to rest.  I will have none of my friends dying on me.  You have been unconscious for a couple of days now.  You need to relax.  I need my best friend with me on this."

'Yeah, friends . . . just friends,' Drogo looked after them as they walked down the hall.  The other elves began to treat his wound once again.

"Philon has told me that you came all the way from the Shire," Arwen said as they walked down the long hall.

"Yes, I was staying with Frodo Baggins.  Gandalf found me and asked Frodo to watch over me. After he returned, he told me of this jewel," she held up the amulet, "and how I had to come here to . . . well, to . . ."

"To take my place," Arwen finished her thought.  Aubrey looked at her and then quickly bowed her head.

"This is your room," she motioned her through the door.  "I'll send Adrielle up to help you in a few minutes.  Then we need to talk about what Gandalf has told you and what you know about that jewel lying in your hands and what you are to do with it."

Arwen had been distant from Aubrey ever since they had first arrived.  It felt as though she was looking down on her, but what was she expecting on their arrival?   Open arms and warm hugs?  Of course hostility was a given, intruding without being expected.  Aubrey would have thought that they would have been shot on sight if it hadn't been for the inexperienced young elf and her amulet.

Aubrey nodded and entered the room.  As she set her things down she heard Arwen close the doors behind her.  Aubrey took some dresses from the bag and laid them on the bed.  She sat down on the edge of the bed and looked around the room.  It was gigantic for only one person and the vastness of it all left Aubrey with the thought of loneliness and she started to miss her friends.  How could Gandalf have sent them here with no warning to Arwen or the others?

In the next room she could hear some movement and before long a young elf girl came from a door apparently connecting the rooms.  The young elf had dark color hair like the boy elf and had blue eyes, a very rare combination that Aubrey was not used to, unless it came to Frodo.  The young girl had a yellow colored dress on that only went to her knees.  She looked around sixteen, but from what Jane told Aubrey when she was still in her old world, elves age slower then humans do.  She must be around two thousand years old at least by Aubrey's guess.

She set a bowl of what looked like water at the edge of Aubrey's bed and looked up at her.  Aubrey tried to be at least a little friendlier and gave her a small smile.  The girl walked up to her and stood to her face to face, leaning on the bed.  She then backed away and tilted her head to the side, then to the other.  She held a type of confused look on her face as she was trying to figure Aubrey out.

"How does a hobbit come across the greatest treasure of the elves?"

"I did not come across it.  It was my father's, if no one told you," Aubrey answered.

"So you stick to your story," the girl said.

"Only because it is true," Aubrey said a little mad that the girl was going against every statement she said thus far.

"So," the girl sat down next to her on the bed, completely forgetting about the bowl at the end of the bed, "They say that you were in a different world?"

"Yes."

The young elf's eyes started to shine with excitement and a smile began to grow on her face, "What was it like?"

Aubrey looked at her in a different light as soon as the question escaped her lips, "Nothing like here."

The girl smiled and pushed her hand forward, "I'm Adrielle.  Now, Lady Arwen told me to help you clean up.  That means a new dress," she picked Aubrey off the bed and told her to turn around using her finger in a turning fashion, "and a nice, warm bath."

"Sounds great," Aubrey smiled as she finished her turning, "What made you change heart so quickly when asking me the questions, Adrielle?"

"I could see you were not lying.  It can be told in your eyes," she smiled, "And your friends said the same exact things concerning you."

"My friends?  How are they?"

"They are getting royal treatment.  Being the children of the members of the fellowship many of the elves wanted to meet them.  Now, let's get you into the tub and out of those clothes.  And we have to take that off," she pointed to the amulet.

"No, I always keep this on," Aubrey held it close.

"That is . . ."

Aubrey just nodded her head, "Ok, just leave it on then.  Don't worry, I'll have you clean in a jiffy, then you can have your talk with Lady Arwen and Lord Carond more than likely," she takes Aubrey's hand, picks up the bowl with the other and walked toward the other room, which Aubrey discovered as the washroom.

"Who is Lord Carond?  I haven't heard of him," Aubrey asked as the warm water began filling up the small bath in front of her.

"He is one of the closest advisors to Lady Arwen . . . although he has been acting strange the last few weeks."

"Strange?" Aubrey asked quickly before Adrielle shoved her behind a curtain and began to take the clothes that Aubrey threw over the top of the changing curtain.

"Undergarments too," Adrielle reminded her as the white pieces of clothing flew over the side, "How can I define his behavior?  Only way I can is that he is sneaking about and is very cautious of people following him.  Philon and I had attempted it one time, but he caught us before we even reached the wood."

"He kind of sounds like a spy to me," Aubrey scratched her chin in a pondering fashion.

"But he is known to do great agreements with other species in the wood; especially in the agreements with some forest nymphs quite a few months ago.  And I can just be paranoid.  I have bee known to be before about many people," Aubrey heard Adrielle tap her foot on the white marble below them, "Well, are you going to come out or not?"

"Not in front of you."

"Alright, but I'll be back in a little while with some more soap for you."

After Adrielle left Aubrey snuck over to the bath as quickly as she could to clean or at least relax.  Aubrey slid below the warm waterline of the tub and came back up with her hair-soaking wet.  She hadn't had a proper bath in quite a while.  Ever since she was on this trip, she never had time to slow down and take one to clean herself.  Her face was covered in scratches and dirt.  She tried to rub the dirt off, but waited until Adrielle would come back.  She closed her eyes and pushed back her hair with her hands.  She stared at the ceiling that stood a little above twenty feet above her.  To her left were two windows that stretched from seven feet from the ground to the top of the room, giving the room a great amount of light of the afternoon sun, but still gave the bather their privacy.

She opened her eyes and made little ripples in the water with her finger.  Her eyes focused and her face turned from pondering to frustrated.  She thought back to what Philon had said, '. . . _many princesses go through much they do not understand.'_  But was she ready to be a princess?  She was barely ready to be a hobbit.  Everything was moving so fast.  Back in the Shire the biggest problem on her mind was Drogo and her feelings.  Now . . . well now she is expected to rule over a group of beings she knows nothing about and possibly the rest of this world.  She longed so much to be back in the Shire, where everything seemed to be so simple and relaxing compared to all of this.

She sunk back into the porcelain tub and let her damp hair over flow over the side.  After about fifteen minutes Adrielle came back in with a mixture of soaps and sponges in her arms.  Aubrey was a little self conscious about letting other people wash her, especially a person she met only a half hour ago.  She was feeling very weird about her sitting there washing her when she is sitting in a tub naked.

"I understand how you might feel about this, Aubrey.  Don't worry, it isn't that bad," she grabbed some soap and put it in Aubrey's hair, "And if you feel too weird about this, I can leave this stuff in here for you to wash yourself."

Aubrey nodded and let her wash her hair, but didn't think so much about it.  She decided to let Adrielle wash her back, but she wanted to wash everything else.  Adrielle understood and left her to finish.  When she returned Aubrey changed herself into undergarments, but let Adrielle help her into her new dress.

"Adrielle, are you a servant of the palace or something?"

"Of course not, I volunteered to help you.  You never came here before from what I heard and knew nothing of our ways.  I thought that I might help you understand a little more- No, it goes this way," Adrielle pointed Aubrey to switch the side of the sash she was holding in her hand.  She was dressed in a silver colored dress that flowed to her ankles, and had light silver sashes tied around her waist.

"Thank you," Aubrey smiled and looked up at her, "It seems that you listen a lot to what other people say about me."

"Well, until I got to meet you, that was all I had to rely on," she backed away from Aubrey and made the action with her finger to have her twirl around again, "There, perfect.  Now all we have to worry about is your hair."

She sat Aubrey down on a chair and began to try and put her hair up.  She finally got it up in a style that resembled a tight bun, but left some curly hair framing all around her face, "Now you look like the princess you truly are."

"Please Adrielle, just call me Aubrey," she looked back at Adrielle through the mirror.

"Alright Aubrey," she patted her on the shoulder, "Now I should check up on your friend that is injured."

"Drogo?" Aubrey turned around in the chair very fast and the urgency in her voice caught Adrielle's attention.

"Yes, is there anything you would like me to tell him?" she said with a slight smirk.

"Yeah, tell him to get better.  And that . . . I miss him."

Adrielle smiled and nodded at her request and then opened the door, "Lady Arwen should be expecting you in the garden at the edge of the building.  I will be in to help you to bed."

"Can you just set the clothes on the bed?  I think I can manage."

"Alright.  Goodnight Aubrey."

"Goodnight, Adrielle," Aubrey got up from the chair and walked before the front of a window.  She saw her reflection in the late afternoon's light.  She couldn't recognize her self in the glamorous dress, but decided she could not do anything about it.  The scratches from the fight were still very apparent on her face, but the cream that Adrielle put on her face help immensely.  She walked down the hall, out into the sunlight, and toward the garden.

Arwen was seated on a white bench next to a pond much like the one in Frodo's garden.  All around her, white and silver roses bloomed and winter green leaves danced in the soft wind passing through.  "Come and sit with me, Aubrey."

Aubrey did as she was told and sat next to Arwen on the bench.  She felt uncomfortable sitting next to the ruler of Rivendell.  The person whom she would be taking the place of, but . . . there was no way that she could take her place.  Arwen knew the language, the culture, and the way of Rivendell.  No matter how long Aubrey stayed there, she could never learn all of the knowledge Arwen had.  She looked at the queen and knew that there was something she was not telling her.  Something was being left unsaid.

"Aubrey, Gandalf may have told you how you got here and who you are, but he never told you _why_ you are here, did he?"

"Why?  You mean why I am here?"

"You may think me cruel, but . . . it is that I have known these people- my people- for all my life.  I do not want to give them to some one I have only just met."

"I know what you are saying, Lady Arwen.  I cannot say I know how you are feeling because I have no clue.  But I do know that you do not trust me completely and I can understand that."

"But at the same time I long to rule with my husband.  I will not live forever as my ancestors have and I want to know for certain that when I give my throne to a person, I want to know that the one who takes my place will treat my people well," she looked at Aubrey, "You will won't you?"

"Of course, if I knew only how to rule," Aubrey tried to find words to say.  How could she, being as young as she is, rule a foreign world?  There is almost no way.

"I knew this day would come," Arwen said breaking her train of thought for comforting words, "It was known that Sorion's daughter would return to the world her parents left behind."

"So there is a prophecy or something that I can follow?" Aubrey was hoping that there was going to be a guideline that would at least tell her what she should do.

"No, no prophecy was ever made.  But after a few hundred years our people had given up on this hope that a daughter would come and my family took the throne.  But now, out of the blue, here you are.  Ready to take on such a great responsibility at such a young age.  The hope has been filled."

"Why were they expecting a daughter and not a son?"

"The Cander line was very peculiar.  In each generation they have a girl first and then a boy.  Well, in your father's case, his older sister died at birth and he was the only child. And some how the orcs knew this.  That is what the orcs were doing when they were taking all those girls.  When they didn't find the right one they were looking for, they got the bright idea of putting the girls to work, which is way more than anyone would give them credit for.  They were looking for you.  Once the ring was destroyed they looked for the only other thing that could bring their master back."

"My father's amulet," Aubrey guessed.

"That is why you are here.  They searched endlessly for the girl . . . and then they looked at other species . . . and then they looked at your world when the search here became fruitless.  They had finally found you and didn't know it.  But now . . . well you have to keep that jewel away from them at all costs."

"I understand," Aubrey tried to say something to let Arwen know that she could be trusted, "And I promised myself and Gandalf among others that I will never allow them to have it as long as I live."

Arwen stared into her eyes and grabbed her hands in hers, "Promise me another promise."

"Anything."

"Promise me that you will rule these people with kindness and mercy.  Let them live as they have lived.  Don't change anything."

"That is the last thing I want to do.  If I had at least some control, I would ask you to teach me.  To rule as long as you wanted and tell me what I should do.  I don't know what to do.  I can't rule," she stared into Arwen's eyes, "At least point me in the right direction.  I would never dream to change anything in these people's lives.  I don't want to change anyone's way of life."

"You are sincere," Arwen seemed surprised at what she had just said, "You truly do not want to rule in my place."

"The only thing I wanted to do was to stay in the Shire with my friends and new family.  I wanted to live the rest of my life where my mother grew up.  My parents are gone, and it seemed that only in the Shire I belonged.  I admit that I'm not ready to lead a civilization, let alone a world that I have never known existed," Aubrey stood up and walked around the garden in a huge circle, "But if I must take your place . . . lead me, Arwen.  Before you join your husband Aragon, tell me how.  Teach me the ways I must learn to become a great leader like you and Elrond.  Please."

Aubrey fell to her knees and started to cry into her hands.  Arwen walked over to her and placed her hand tenderly on her shoulder, "I trust you."

Aubrey took her tear filled eyes away from her hands and looked at Arwen, "Why?"

"Because you have shown the greatest attribute to a great leader . . . honesty.  I respect that.  I can only show you so much, but you have to learn the rest on your own," she held her hand out.

"I will try my best to live up to at least half of what you've done," Aubrey took her hand that she had held out and helped her up.

"I think that I will always be cautious of you, but I will try to learn as well.  To believe in you," Arwen looked in her eyes, "Now come, you need sleep.  The sun is going down and you have been through so much these past days.  And in these last days you have not gained much sleep.  You spent most of them watching over the young Baggins."

"Yes, it seems that he is my family right now.  And the others are my closest friends."

"Ah, the great princess speaks not only of her weakness but of her strength in her new family and friends.  Of her hopes to the new kingdom she wishes to inherit," an older looking elf, maybe a little older than what she remembered Legolas being, stepped from the entrance to the garden.  He was pretty short for an elf, but had the gleaming gold hair that was prominent in most of the elves there.

"Lord Carond, I didn't expect you up so late an hour," Arwen said standing Aubrey straight with both of her hands on her shoulders.

"Well, I heard of the coming of the young princess and wished to see her," he looked Aubrey over and focused on her amulet lying on her chest, then turned back to Arwen, "M' lady might I suggest that the princess stays in Rivendell for a while before she is to take her place of power?"

"I cannot delay to step down, Carond.  She is the rightful heir, and I cannot be in her way.  You know that, along with the fact of upcoming battle."

He nodded his head and looked again at Aubrey, "Of course I do."

Aubrey couldn't stop a chill from going down her back from the tone in his voice and the cold stare of his almost black eyes.  Arwen turned and looked down at Aubrey, "Get some sleep; I will look over the young hobbit before I retire.  Now sleep."

"Arwen?"

"Yes, Aubrey?"

"I still don't understand why you trust me so soon."

"You show true honesty in your words, and I know that my people need that among many other things.  They need to be told of the orc's march to Rivendell.  And you are to tell them. Now, get some sleep."

Aubrey only nodded her head as she turned and walked back toward the white building.  She could still feel the cold piercing gaze of Carond in the back of her head.  After a few seconds she heard them talking once again.

"She is too young to lead, your Majesty," Carond said to Arwen and Aubrey heard her give a heavy sigh.

"She may be young, but I see so much potential in her, Carond.  I think for once, I'm not going to take your advice.  I'm not going to cast her out.  She will stand tall as one of the great leaders of these people.  Our people. . . I have faith," Aubrey heard Arwen's dress start to move down the hall after her and began to move faster.

"You may have faith for her, but I have faith in my plan," Aubrey hurried faster down the hall toward her room as she heard the last lingering comment from Carond.  As soon as she reached her room she nearly immediately turned in for the night.  She changed quickly into the clothes Adrielle left for her and fell into bed.


	13. Dreams and Moonlight Hopes

Chapter 13:  Dreams and Moonlight Hopes

Aubrey slept soundly that night, as if she was millions of miles away from the palace and from the looming threat of orcs.  She was dreaming of times long past when she would play in a big, grass field with her mother that used to only be a walk away from her home.  She even had memories of her father lifting her up when he came home from work.  She longed for those memories, to see his face again.  To have his strong arms lift her above his head and give her the bear hugs that every little girl needed when they were that young.  His smile would always place the same thing on her face.  It almost seemed as though they were reading off each other.  Whatever one felt the other felt just the same.  She loved those days with her father, even the ones when he would only come in to kiss her good night.

But she also remembered the days which daddy could barely get out of bed and play with her.  Mommy couldn't stop from crying some days and for a whole week they wouldn't let Aubrey see her father.  Then that one day came, where everyone was wearing black and her mother was crying into the shoulder of their neighbor.  Aubrey could not see her father anywhere, not knowing why; she asked others where her daddy was hiding.  At that age she only saw it as a game.  How could she not, when she was only two years old?  

But even after her father's funeral she still swore her daddy came in and kissed her goodnight every once in a while.  She would remember him whispering sweet goodnights and little stories in her ear as she fell into sleep.  She would tell her mommy, but she would only tell Aubrey that daddy wasn't coming home, no matter how many dreams Aubrey had.  She knew they couldn't be dreams.  At one time she yelled to her mother that daddy was in her room.  Her mother came in and actually looked around the room hoping for something that wasn't there.  She just hung her head, told Aubrey to go back to sleep and walked back to her empty room.  Aubrey didn't go to sleep that night; she stayed up looking for her daddy.

She remembered something he said during one of his last visits to her, 'If you listen really hard, Aubrey, you can hear the stars and clouds talk to you.  They will tell you more stories then I could ever come up with.  This is probably the last time you will see me, honey.  Remember that I will always love you.'

After that night, he did actually come back one more time to kiss her on the cheek then disappeared.  She still remembers the feeling of his lips sweeping over her soft cheek.  She knew then that he wasn't coming back to tell any more stories, or to sing to her.  He wasn't coming back at all.  After years went by, she did see the late night visits from her father as dreams.  She also learned the hard lesson of what it meant to die and that her father indeed was never coming home.

Her small two-year-old self sat in dim light in a black room crying into her hands.  The ground she stood on in her dream turned black and crumbled beneath her.  She fell down a deep hole; aging into the young woman she was now.  She dropped into a bed of moss, so comfortable that she never wished to get up from it.  She let her hair spread out around her head like an eagle's tail feathers.  Her eyes remained closed she did not want to see the next scene before her.  She was tired of living in the past, but did not want to move on toward the future.

Then she felt a hand on her cheek, and ever so softly the hand pushed some hair that was still on her face to the side.  The bed seemed to sink a little on one side as she felt the other person lean on the edge of the bed.  "Aubrey?"

Aubrey squinted her eyes tighter; maybe she was still thinking of Drogo and was dreaming of him.  She groaned as the hand started to push on her shoulder, "Aubrey, I need to talk to you."

Aubrey opened her eyes and barely saw the figure of some one in front of her.  She jumped up and looked at the figure shrouded in darkness.  They leaned into the small bit of light illuminating her bed and she saw Drogo staring back at her.

"Drogo, what are you doing?" Aubrey rubbed her eyes, "You should still be in bed, the moon is still up, and it's not even morning yet."

"I need to talk to you," he repeated and held out his hand to help her up, "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Well, who needs sleep anyway, right?" Aubrey said with a light chuckle.  She took his hand and he pulled her out of her bed.  Her hair was everywhere since she let it fall loose when she went to bed.  He covered his mouth so he wouldn't be too rude by laughing at her.

She noticed that he was trying to restrain himself from laughing, "What?"  She felt her hair and her eyes grew huge.  She turned away from him and tried to fix her hair the best she could.  She took her brush from the vanity at the side of the room and began to try and tame her hair, "Um, so what did you want to get me up for?"

She walked back over to him and brushed her hair with ferocity hoping that the tangles would retreat very soon.  Drogo looked at her; she was in her nightdress, which was light blue in color.  She watched as he just stared at her.

"What, is there something else humorous about my middle of the night appearance?"

"No- of course not," Drogo said fast, "Um, are you up for a walk?"

"If I was in proper dress, but even then I wouldn't be so sure about you," she looked at him and noticed that under his light shirt she could see his bandage over the wound.

"Oh, don't be silly.  I'll be fine, it's nothing really," he tried to convince her that he would be fine.

"Really?  I would think that when a person faints on the road it would be from the humongous gash in their side," Aubrey said crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'll be fine, really," Drogo said placing a hand on her arm.

Aubrey loosened and knew that he had gotten to her.  "Alright, we'll take a walk," she grabbed another dress by the edge of the bed and disappeared behind a dressing curtain, "But so help me Drogo.  If you get hurt even worse then what you are . . ."

"Then what?"

"Then," Aubrey stepped out of the curtain in another dress, white in color, "Then I will have to hurt you more then that.  Then I'll feel guilty and lose even more sleep worrying at your bedside."

She struggled with a bow in the back of the dress, "Here Aubrey."  Drogo went behind her and tied the bow in the back.

"Thank you," she whispered, "So where are we going?"

"Anywhere really," he shrugged his shoulders, "This is the first time I snuck out of the hospital room.  I don't know where anything is."

Aubrey thought back to Elrond's garden, but then decided that that place may not be the best place.  It is beautiful, but it may be too special to Arwen and she didn't want to upset her with an intrusion, "On another thought Drogo, why don't we just step outside on the porch outside my room.  It has a beautiful view."

"Alright . . . in other words you don't know where anything is either," he smiled and followed Aubrey out to the porch after she set down the brush deciding that she could do nothing more with her hair.

The porch was pretty big and was half the size of a normal apartment bedroom.  It was made of white marble and looked over the whole of Rivendell.  Aubrey leaned forward on the railing and looked at the streams and trees.  She let out a heavy sigh and closed her eyes.  Drogo leaned on the railing backward and looked at Aubrey after glancing at the scenery.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.

"Many things . . . my future, my parents, the amulet, these people, all people, my life . . . you."

"Me?  What is so important about me?"

Aubrey opened her eyes and looked at him, "I've already told you that you have grown precious to me.  Is there that much more to say?"

"There may be . . . what is it in you future that you must think so much about?"

"How do they expect so much of me?" she looked over the scenery, "Me? . . .  You have no idea how much I have to live up to.  My father is legendary, my mother . . . just the same.  The elves see me as going to be a great leader, and I know nothing of how to lead a great civilization as this.  I mean, I barely could lead a group of people in my class, let alone a group of people I almost know nothing about."

"Well, I might not know about leading, but you are a great person and it will not take you long to find out that you are great.  And I know what it is like to have everyone look at you as though you must live up to the name you have.  Like you have to amount to something you can never even phantom.  But you . . . you can live up to your name, you already succeeded that in my eyes."

"Yeah, well," she turned to him and squeezed his cheeks lightly, "You're my sweet Drogo.  You always think well of others.  I don't know if I can convince them as well as I have you."

"You can do anything, Aubrey.  You just got to believe."

"Yeah, I know.  'Believe thy self; believe in thy future, and in thy past.  All will be brought together,' that is what my mother used to tell me.  And I always believed it."

"Do you still believe it?"

"In parts . . . But sometimes I just don't know what to believe anymore," she gave a faint smile and saw Drogo shift himself so that he was standing tall in front of her, "I mean, what if they do accept me?  I will take the throne and you and the others will go back to the Shire and live the rest of your lives there.  While I'm here, and alone.  I would love to go back to the Shire and stay there with you all.  To be a part of something, maybe not a full family, but at least I have something there.  Here, I'm pretty much on my own.  Sure, I will make new friends, but none like you.  And then there will defiantly be suitors to take the hand of the Cander maiden.  What shall I do when I love another that is so far-" Aubrey's eyes grew huge and turned to Drogo with her hands over her mouth.

He was almost as equally surprised by her outburst, "Yo- you love someone?"

Aubrey threw her eyes to the ground of white marble, "At least I think I do . . . I don't know. It just kind of happened out of nowhere.  He was there, I was -well here- and it all kind of fell together.  Afraid of what might happen, and what has happened I was so scared that I might get hurt.  So I kept it inside, like all of my emotions until the day I could finally let it free.  All I can do is wait and see.  I know that I'm now babbling and that you probably don't want to hear any of this, Drogo, but you are so easy to talk to and-" she was suddenly cut off by Drogo's lips touching hers in one swift motion.  He held her chin up with his left hand and held her back with the right.

She was a little surprised to say the least, but she was- well nothing could explain the feeling inside her.  She felt happiness, longing and nothing but ultimate joy radiating within her.  She had closed her eyes only a few seconds after he took a hold of her and started to push against his lips.  She didn't care about what he thought any more and just let everything go.  She let everything release and wrapped her arms around him.  Her left arm wound around his back and her right hand went to the side of his face and wrapping around into his hair.

Drogo felt her lips start to press back against his, her arms wrapping around him, and he held her closer.  His side was crying out in pain, but he didn't care.  The wound didn't matter to him anymore.  He just knew that he had done it.  He had finally told her - in at least one way- that which was burning inside the back of his mind for the past month.

They both started to loose their air, but only took a few gasps of air before retreating once again to one another's lips.  He was a little unfamiliar with kissing, but kept contact with her lips just the same.  Aubrey had never really kissed a guy before, let alone Drogo.  She had known that Jeremy tried to kiss her before countless times, but she never let it go that far.  But this, this was already too far.  She was in love and it seemed that almost nothing was too much.

Soon both of them were out of breath and couldn't last very much longer.  They pulled away reluctantly with both of their eyes still closed.  Drogo's were the first to open and look down at Aubrey.  Her eyebrows went up with surprise and she breathed out a, "Wow . . ."

"I'm guessing that you weren't expecting that."

"You can say that," Aubrey breathed a little harder and opened her eyes to look at him, "Least of all from you, Drogo."

"Why?  You didn't think I had it in me?"

"No.  It's just that, I always thought you liked me as a friend, although there were some red lights flashing that there must have been something more.  But I never wanted to believe that you . . . you would like me like that."

"But I don't like you Aubrey," she looked up at him confused, "I thought the kiss would explain that I love you."

The corner of her mouth led into a smile and she hung her arms around Drogo's neck, almost jumping into his arms and fell into his lips.

"Ow," he said against her lips, "Aubrey, my side.  Still wounded."

"Sorry," she let go from her tight grasp and just leaned her forehead against his, "And I should tell you that I also love you."

"I kind of figured that," he said with a smirk on his face looking into her eyes telling her that he 'knew all' like he did in their lessons together back at Bag End.  She punched him in the side of the arm and smiled back at him.

"Why me?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know, me being human at one point."

"I told you that I don't care about that, Aubrey.  All I care about is that you're here and that no one will ever take your place," he tucked her head under his chin, "Promise me something."

"It seemed as though I'm making a lot of those lately."

"Aubrey, I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Promise me that you will stay with me.  No matter what, no matter where you go that I will be able to be with you."

"Drogo, what about Rivendell?  What about me being a princess."

"I don't care about who you are here or any where.  I only care that you are Aubrey, the real Aubrey.  The one who loves to stare at clouds all day and then watch the stars at night while whispering to your loved ones.  I love the way your hair just finds that right place on your face to make you look so beautiful in the moonlight like tonight.  I love the way you feel in my arms.  I love you, and only you.  I don't care what anyone else may call you or know you as.  I love you for only you."

"I can almost say the same things about you," she stepped closer to him making sure she didn't aggravate the wound, "I just love everything about you and everything that you've done for me.  I promise that we will be together no matter what."

He placed his arms on her hips, placing his hands on the small of her back and they both swayed together with the wind dancing through the trees and Aubrey's loose hair.  Their foreheads touching once again Aubrey tilted her head up to give another kiss and Drogo was happy to accept.

When they walked back into Aubrey's room, he sat next to her on her bed, "So now what, Drogo?"

"Well, you don't have to worry about suitors anymore, do you?" he smiled and looked at the door, "I should get going before the elf nurse makes her rounds to check on me.  I'll see you in the morning."

"Drogo," she grabbed his sleeve tugging on it a little, "I love you."

"I love you, too.  You know, no matter how much you say it, it never loses its meaning or its magic," he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left through the door waving goodbye before he disappeared behind it.

Aubrey bit her bottom lip and fell back onto the bed.  She didn't care what dress she had on; she didn't care if her hair was still a mess.  All she cared about was that he told her that he loved her.  He loved her.  Drogo Baggins said that he loved her . . . Aubrey Cander.  So what if this place was real or fantasy; it didn't matter anymore.  She closed her eyes and just tried to keep her thoughts on Drogo.  Her heart was so overwhelmed she was finding it quite hard to think of much else.

She placed her hand over her heart as to slow the pounding rhythm, but her hand found itself over the heat of the glowing amulet.  She looked at it and then looked around the room, thinking it may be a warning, but she would have felt pain by now.

She took steps toward the great window and looked out at the moon and stars, 'Mom, I knew you always told me to be careful when falling like this.  Well, you were right about it.  Believing in my past showed me what I have to look out for, believing in myself to make the right choice and believing in my future with him . . . and it all came together.  It all came together.'

Aubrey shut the huge porch windows and returned to her bed to go back to sleep, hopefully she could find a way to knock herself out.  Maybe the future wouldn't be as bad as she thought it would be.  Especially with Drogo by her side.


	14. Days Ahead

Chapter 14: Days Ahead

Aubrey woke up that morning with the sun glowing brightly passing through her eyelids and into her eyes.  Someone had drawn the curtains of the two huge windows open.  Aubrey rolled over on her other side, away from the hideous morning sun.  Some one ripped the sheets off the bed as she curled up into a little ball hoping to keep at least some of the warmth that was originally held by the nice sheets.

"Come on, Aubrey get up," Adrielle's voice could be heard from the foot of her bed, "We got to get you ready.  You speak to the rest of Rivendell today."

"What?!" Aubrey shot up, her eyes barely open and her hair in a huge knot that only looked like a giant messy bun sitting on top of her head.

Adrielle gave her a disapproving look, "Well, looks like you need a good brushing."  She went to the side of the room where the brush was supposed to be sitting on the vanity desk top, "Now, where did that brush go?"

Aubrey smiled big as she remembered the night before and her first kiss.  She looked over to her left and found it sitting right by the window frame, "Here it is, Adrielle."

"Now how did it get over there?" Adrielle took it up in her hand, pointed to the vanity chair and told Aubrey, "Sit."

Aubrey got up and sat in the chair looking at her reflection as Adrielle tackled the knots in the back of her head.  Her face was almost beaming with light as she thought about what she will say when she went to go see Drogo later that day.  Adrielle noticed her none stop smiles and became curious.

"Aubrey, why do you seem so happy today?"

"No reason in particular, Adrielle.  It just seems that the future has grown much brighter then what it seemed yesterday."

"Ah . . . So it has nothing to do with your friend Drogo sneaking in to talk to you last night?"

"How'd you?"

"I was suppose to be the one checking up on him, but he was seeing you at the time.  Don't worry he isn't in trouble with anyone, I can keep a secret well."

"Thank goodness," Aubrey breathed out a sigh of relief, "What is this business of me speaking to the rest of Rivendell?"

"According to Lady Arwen, you are to tell us something of great importance.  Something that may change Rivendell forever."

"Besides me being the heir?"

"Apparently, most residences have known about that since you arrived," she finished her work with her hair, "Alright now for the decorations."

Adrielle placed a pinch of what looked like glitter in her hair and let it settle in her curly hair.  She placed a couple of pretty while jewels on the sides of her head and picked her up from the chair.  She led her to the other side of the dressing curtain and began to help her change into a long light blue gown.  She secured a stream of material flowing down in the back and stepped out to see herself in the mirror.

"Now, if you like it, you may proceed to Lady Arwen's quarters.  The others are waiting for you there."

"The others?"

"Your companions, of course."

Aubrey thanked Adrielle and made her way down the corridor.  She walked slowly down the wide hall that led to Arwen's room unsure of what she was to do when she addresses the people.  She looked out the gigantic windows and saw the people starting to gather near the front of the white building.  Many of them, including the younger elves, looked confused on why they were there.  It seemed to Aubrey as if she was taking a deeper breath with every step she took toward Arwen's room.

She reached the room and knocked on the door, "Come in Aubrey," Arwen called from inside.

Aubrey opened the door to find not only Arwen, but the others as well.  Kate and Kat ran up to her and flung their arms around her in a hug.  She gratefully accepted, holding the twins tight in her grasp.

"Oh man, am I glad to see you guys," Aubrey said pulling away, "How have you all been?"

Faramir came over and gave her a small hug and took his place back at Kate's side.  Thomas then came over and took his turn giving her a hug, "I'm doing pretty well.  All accept the fact that I'm starving to death."

"Oh Thomas, you did not starve.  You had plenty to eat- Now that I think of it you were not even seen without some piece food in your hand or in your mouth," Kat said crossing her arms.

"That only restates that fact that I was hungry," Thomas says confident that his point was won.

"But you're always hungry," someone said from beside the door.

Aubrey turned to see Drogo standing right beside the closed door that she walked through a few minutes before.  Aubrey smiled as she saw Drogo's face with a sly smirk plastered on it.  She walked over to him and saw that he was walking and standing tall as if he was never injured.

As they reached each other she leaned her forehead on his and looked into his eyes.  He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a small kiss, "Missed you."

"Yeah, me too," she bit her bottom lip and put her hand on where the wound should have been.  She looked at him with a questioning stare because it had no bandage over it.

"Oh, well it's all healed and I'm free to do whatever I want," he smiled triumphantly and looked at the others.  His face changed to an amused grin and Aubrey followed his stare.  The rest of the group, minus Arwen, was looking at them with their mouths wide open.

Faramir closed his first and stepped forward, "Now, when did this happen?  Not that I'm against it or anything, but . . . When? . . . How? . . ."

Thomas was right behind him, "I so confused."  Thomas rubbed his head and fell to the floor, crossing his legs Indian style and waited for an answer from Drogo and Aubrey.

Aubrey looked at Drogo and giggled.  They stepped apart slightly, but Drogo was still close enough to Aubrey to drape his arm around the small of her back. Before Aubrey started to explain what had happened last night, with the smallest detail she could think of Arwen stopped her in mid breath.

"At the moment the young princess has a public to address," Arwen stated tilting her head toward the window patio, "They are waiting to hear what is to come in the days ahead and to see you for the first time as a leader."

Aubrey's face turned to one of slight worry and the others noticed it without a problem.  Drogo held her a little closer and placed his chin on her shoulder, "Are you ready for this?"

"They are waiting, Drogo.  I cannot leave them without the information that they desperately will need.  They need to know of the attack to come."

"Aubrey, may I make a suggestion?" Arwen came up to her.

"Of course Arwen," Aubrey took a breath of relief.

"As you know, the age of elves is closing.  My people's reign over this land is over.  What if you suggest that the rest of the elves that are now residing here should go to the Undying Lands?"

Aubrey thought for a moment.  If they went back to the Undying Lands, then they would be safe from any attacks, they would be able to live free without a ruler and . . . she would be free to go back the Shire.

"What about the people?  What will they think?"

"You'll have to ask them," Arwen pointed toward the balcony.

Aubrey nodded and stepped toward the balcony.  Drogo gave her a kiss on the cheek for confidence and the others gave her smiles.  Arwen walked in front of her toward the railing over looking Rivendell.   She looked back at her quickly, "Are you sure you are ready?"

"As I said, if I am ready or not, these people have the right to know what is going to happen in their home."

Arwen nodded with a little smile and stepped forward.  Aubrey took another quick glance behind her at the rest of the group.  Every one of them gave her a toothy smile, except for Thomas who seemed to have found the fresh bread on the table and gave Aubrey a smile filled with bread.  Both Drogo and Kat hit him in the back of the head for that one.

"It's a wonder and a mystery how you can stay so thin with your eating habits cousin," Kat said holding her head in the palm of her hand.

"It's in my genes," he smiled proudly and rubbing the spot they hit him in the head.  

Aubrey smiled, took a deep breath and watched as Arwen made her opening words to the elves below the balcony.

"Rivendell," the crowd below grew quiet, "As most of you know, if not all of you, Sorion Cander's heir has been found after these thousands of years."  The crowd began to hum silently with the faint whispering of gossip.  The noise quieted after a few seconds and Arwen continued, "Which means that my family no longer has the right to rule here any longer.  Many of you do not know who she is.  I can only tell you that she is a hobbitlass of only sixteen years."

The crowd then forgot all about the hushed whispering and began to talk loudly among themselves.  Arwen glared and tried to regain the attention of the mass of elves, "In my eyes she has proven to be honest and is sure not to change any of our laws or well kept traditions.  In my opinion she is to be a great leader to you all."

Aubrey could hear a few comments below, but none got to her worse then one shouted by a younger looking male elf, "How can a young hobbitlass lead us?  She knows nothing of our ways."

"She may be young, but she is wise.  And she deserves your respect as being the rightful heir to the Cander throne.  And I believe that it is time that she spoke to you, as being your princess," Arwen stepped aside and let Aubrey step up to the railing so she could look over the mass of elves below her.  The whispering a talking stopped, as Aubrey was expecting it to grow louder.

Many of the elves stood in silence watching Aubrey look over the crowd carefully. After looking at them all she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, 'Come on, Aubrey.  Keep it together.  Believe in thy self, thy past and thy future.  All will be brought together,' Aubrey opened her eyes once more and looked out instead of down.

"People of Rivendell, I know what you must think of me.  You must be asking yourselves 'How can that young hobbit be our leader?'. . . And I agree."

"Aubrey-" Arwen tried to stop her, but Aubrey held out her hand to Arwen telling her not to stop her.

"You are right.  I do not know about your traditions or your laws.  I am lost in my own thoughts on how I must fulfill my father's place as your princess and still let you live your lives the way you have been before I even knew of this place.  But I need help.  I know that I am not fit to rule in Lady Arwen's place or in Lord Elrond's.  You need to tell me what you need, what you want and who you want to lead.  I may have the jewel of power, but what use is that power in the hands of someone who cannot use it to help their own people?" Aubrey looked around the crowd and saw Adrielle sitting on a large rock, her hands cupping her face and listening intently on her words.  She saw Aubrey looking at her and told her with her eyes to go on along with a small smile for encouragement.

"I'm not only up here to show you who I am.  I am up here to tell you of the events that are sure to come in the days following," the crowd was finally making movements and some noise, "There are orcs coming toward Rivendell to start a war."

The elves in the crowd began to talk furiously and ask each other what to do, Aubrey waited silently as they all started to quiet down.  One of the women elves with what looked like a small toddler in her arms shouted up to her, "What is your plan?  As our princess you must know of something to do."

"As a princess I should.  But I only have two options in my mind, one given to me by the wise Lady Arwen.  As the time of elves draw to a close and the time of men starts, there are not many places for elves to go.  One option is for the rest of you living here in Rivendell to travel to the Undying Lands and live there with the ones who left before you during the time of the ring.  This option was given to me by Lady Arwen."

Others began to shout up to her, "Is this the action you are taking?  Are you going to flee from Rivendell?"

Aubrey continued both ignoring and answering the question, "The other option, which I am following myself, is to stay here and defend this city as long as I can."

Arwen and the others inside the room were surprised to hear this.  Aubrey was risking her neck to stay here and is willing to die for these people whom she hardly knew.  Some of which do not believe in her.  Aubrey started to focus on individual people as she found the dark pair of eyes that just burned into her eyes.  It was Lord Carond, standing tall with his arms folded in front of him.  She looked hard at him and knew that he did not believe in her and she found the strength that was hidden deep with in her to keep going.

She started again with the strongest voice she could muster, "I won't move!  I won't run away!  And I won't let orcs take the power of the jewel to bring back the dark lord for as long as I breathe and live!  I promise every one of you listening to me that I will not run away from my duty as your princess!  I will stand my ground and fight for you, for your way of life!"  Her voice became softer, ". . . But I will not ask you to shed your blood for my cause.  It is your choice.  You can stay here and fight with me, or make your way to the Undying Lands where you will be safe."

Elves began to talk down among themselves.  Adrielle heard the conversations among the groups around her.

"I can't believe she is going to stay."

"Well, she can stay; I am not going to with orcs coming this way."

"We have to give her credit on her honesty and bravery."

"Why didn't they tell us sooner?"

Adrielle stood up on her rock and shouted to Aubrey, "I'm not leaving!  Rivendell is my home, and I will stay and defend my home!  I will fight the orcs beside you!"

Aubrey looked down at Adrielle, with a smile on her face as she saw the surprised expression on Carond's.  The other elves began to stand tall and yell that they would be staying too.  They would fight for their home, even if that would cost them their eternal lives.

Aubrey was amazed by the response.  She was almost certain that most would flee to the Undying Lands, but in the end only a group of a couple dozen decided to leave for the safety of their families.  Aubrey looked at the elves and couldn't help but smile at their determination to not give up their homes.  "Then those who have decided to stay," Aubrey started, "Prepare for war."

Aubrey stepped down from the place by the railing and began to go inside.  Arwen gave her a thankful smile and went to address the people once again.  Aubrey stepped inside the room and went to her knees.  Drogo came over to her, "Aubrey?"

"They have chosen what they want to do, but I don't want any of them to die.  Although I know by the time the orcs are finished here many will die."

Drogo hugged her and sat on the ground with her as she kept a blank expression on her face.  She knew what she had to do, but as Frodo was, she was afraid to do it.  Asking her people to risk their lives to defend the city.  Was that the right thing to do?

Arwen came back in hearing the applause of the people in the background and looked at Aubrey, "Aubrey, what is the matter?"

"I shouldn't have asked them to stay, Arwen.  Many are going to die.  Did I do the right thing?"

"Aubrey, you gave them a choice.  You told them what needed to be said.  You did the best thing you could do for them.  You did the right thing," Arwen held Aubrey's face in her hands and kissed her forehead, "Now we must get ready for war."

"Arwen," Aubrey's voice stopped Arwen in her tracks, "I need some work clothes."

"Aubrey?"

"I'm going down into the city to help the people prepare," she gave Arwen a determined stare to give no room for argument and Arwen only nodded and left the room.

"Aubrey, what can we do?" Kate stepped up to her.

"You guys have to go back to the Shire," Aubrey looked at her, "All of you," she looked at Drogo in the eyes.

"I'm not leaving you," Drogo said shaking his head, "If you stay I'm staying right by your side."

"Same with all of us," said Thomas swallowing the rest of the bread and crossing his arms.

"I'm not going to ask you guys to risk your lives.  I want you all out on the next wagon back to the Shire.  You can ride with the others who are planning to go to the Undying Lands."

"We're not giving you a choice to ask," Drogo said, "We are staying."

"But I don't want you to."

"What about your promise to me?" Drogo looked into her eyes with an unwavering stare.

"We will be together when this is over," Aubrey said not sure if she even believed herself.

"Then why do you fear that we won't be here when the war is done with if we stay?"

Aubrey lowered her eyes to the floor, "I just want you all to be safe."

"And we will," Thomas said, "Remember, we are the ones who taught you how to fight."

Aubrey couldn't help but smile at Thomas' constant ways of getting what he wants by badgering people into a corner they couldn't possibly fight out of without it ending with food, "I can never get rid of you guys can I?"

"We started this journey with you, Aubrey," Kat said taking her hand, "And we're going to finish it right by your side."

Aubrey squeezed her hand and the others put their hands on top, "We will not run, we will stay our ground.  We have to prepare to fight the orcs."


	15. Preperation

Chapter 15: Preparation

That night Aubrey stayed in her room during dinner and was writing some plans on some paper.  Her hair was in a simple, white barrette snap, pulling her hair into a kind of ponytail.  She sighed heavily and dropped the ink quill on the table she was working on.  After her meeting with Arwen and the other council members they had all retired to bed leaving Aubrey to her extra thoughts and plans.  Arwen had told her that her husband could not send his troops to help for some of his men were sure to go against the elves and return with a rebel army.

Aubrey smoothed out her nightdress and watched as the silk like material shown in the little light that she had on.  She smoothed back her hair with both of her hands and looked own at the amulet, "I don't know how you did this, dad.  But I'm trying . . . really hard."

She got up from the table and blew out the small candle that lit the table.  She sat on one side of her giant bed staring at the work clothes that were set out for tomorrow hanging on the edge of her wardrobe.  She gave a frustrated look at the clothes and wondered how many days and nights until the orcs were to reach Rivendell.  How many days does she have until her and her people have to fight to live?

Aubrey heard her door to her bedroom open, but didn't bother to look up, "Are you doing alright?  Everyone was kind of worried when you didn't show up for dinner.  Although Thomas was kind of happy that there was more for him."  She heard Drogo ask as he shut the door behind him.

She smiled at him and watched him as he walked over to her and sat down next to her, "I guess I'm just trying too hard.  I  . . . whenever I come up with something that might work, It goes down in smoke."

"It's going to be alright.  You're going to win this," he hugs her, "People believe in you.  A lot of people believe in you."

"You're not helping, Drogo," Aubrey said with a flat tone of voice.

"Sorry," he gave her a cheesy smile and got her into bed, "Come on you need your sleep, if I know you, you will be working non stop tomorrow."

As he was tucking her in, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into her bed with her.  He laid beside her and held her in his arms for comfort.  Aubrey buried her head into Drogo's chest, "I don't want to lose you too."

He looked down at her head, but she didn't look up at him, "What makes you think that you will?"

"Nothing makes me think that but my fears.  I have lost my whole family because of this jewel; I don't want to lose you and the others.  That is why I wanted you all to go back to the Shire.  It is unknown what will happen," she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent, "I don't know how my life got so complicated.  I just wish that I could chuck this jewel into a fire pit and destroy it so no one can use it again."

"But that-"

"Wouldn't be good.  I know that if I were to do that it could mean the end of Middle Earth," Aubrey took another deep breath, "I just want this to be over so I can go back to the Shire with you and the others.  That is all I want to do."

He kissed the top of her head and started to hum one of his father's songs that he learned as a young child.  Aubrey held on to him through the night, not wanting to let go of him, hoping beyond hope that her greatest nightmare will not become true.  The sight of Drogo and the others on the ground dead that she saw only a few nights ago was too much for her to see or feel for real.  More than anything all she wanted was to go home.

***

Aubrey woke up with her head resting peacefully on top of Drogo's rising and falling chest from beneath his shirt.  He had one of his arms draped over her waist and the other one acting like a small pillow for her head, which she never made use of.  She watched his serene expression with the light impression of the morning sun dancing across his face.  She took her free hand and started to push the strands of hair away from his face.

He starts to shift underneath her head and places the hand that was to be used as a pillow against her back.  She scoots closer to him and hugs him tighter.  Her thoughts and worries seemed to be so far away when lying by him.  The kingdom could wait, frozen in time as she laid with his arms held tight around her.  The appending war could stop just for the moment and they could enjoy it for all eternity.

She felt Drogo shift yet again from beneath her head and she knew that he was waking up.  She watched as his eyes slowly opened and looked down at her.  They didn't say anything to one another, but they already knew what each other was saying by the glint in their eyes.  Aubrey tilted her head forward and gave Drogo a light kiss on the top of the nose.  She smiled and rolled off to the side of the bed and sat on the edge letting her feet dangle as she tried to get the only sleep out of her eyes.

Drogo scoots over behind her and hugs her from behind and kisses her cheek, "I think I should be getting back to my room," touching his chin on the top of her shoulder.  She stroked the side of his face with one of her hands.

"Yeah, I guess so," Aubrey didn't drop her hand that was cupping the side of his face, "Drogo, do you wonder why it is taking so long for Gandalf to get here?"

"It has popped into my head a couple of times, yes," he said hopping beside her and watched as the sun started to reach the bottom of his pants.

"He said he needed to set some counter curses set, but you would think that he would be back by now," Aubrey turned to him with a worried glance.

"Well, Gandalf can take care of himself," Drogo got off the bed and looked at Aubrey, "You have other things to attend to."  He motioned his head toward the work clothes hanging on her wardrobe.

"Yes, I know.  I should focus more on things happening here and now," she looked at his hair a little more closely and tried to stifle a laugh.  He looked at her questioningly and she got up, "Like your bed head hair.  It could use a brushing."

"Ah, I'll just get that calmed down when I get to my room," he gave her a light kiss and walked toward the door, "It'll be much better when you see me outside working."

"Alright," Aubrey blew him a kiss as he walked out the door, careful to close it gently so not to disturb others who might still be sleeping.

As he turned around from closing the door he almost ran into Lord Carond who loomed over him by only a foot.  Carond looked at him then back at Aubrey's bedroom door, with one of his eyebrows up perhaps looking for an explanation.

"The princess needed some time to talk with a friend?" he asked Drogo.

Drogo focused his eyes into Carond's and only nodded in response.  Carond shook his head slightly, "Since last night?"

Drogo was a little surprised that he knew about how long he had seen Aubrey, but didn't want to show it to him.  Drogo just kept his eyes focused into Carond's and didn't flinch.

"You would think that she would confide in the queen on these matters more then in a hobbit from the Shire.  Even if the hobbit is the son of Frodo Baggins."

"Some things you have to keep to yourself and other things you have to confide in a friend to keep a secret," Drogo said simply and turned to walk toward his room.  Carond grabbed his arm harshly and turned him to face him, "Hey!"

"What did the princess say?"

Drogo stopped dead, "I cannot tell you."

"You will-"

"Carond?"

They both turned to see Arwen with the other hobbits trailing behind her staring at the two.  Carond immediately released his grip of Drogo and stared at the group.  Arwen stared back at him giving him time for an explanation.

"I found that young Mr. Baggins had kept the princess company all of last night and I was trying to-"

"Ask why?" Arwen asked harshly, "The things said between friends are only to be between friends, Carond."

"But what if it was about the jewel?"

"Then it is Aubrey's decision on who she should confide in, isn't it?"

Carond bowed his head, "I made a mistake."

"Now that that is settled, I suggest that you go to the dinning hall where breakfast should be starting shortly."

Carond bowed to Arwen and turned on his heel and left the hall.  Thomas stepped up to Drogo with Faramir not far behind, "What was that about?"

Drogo rubbed his arm where Carond had grabbed it, "I don't know what his problem is."

"No, not that," Thomas said and punched Drogo playfully in the side of his other arm, "What about what he said about you 'keeping Aubrey company'?"

Drogo rolled his eyes.  Faramir looked down the hall, "Didn't Lady Arwen say something about breakfast?"

"Breakfast!" without another word Thomas was down the hall and sitting at one of the place settings at the huge table.  The others soon followed hoping that the food would not be served until they got there.

Drogo looked back at Arwen, "All we talked about-"

She held up her hand, "That was between you and Aubrey.  I knew your father well and I know that you would do nothing dishonest to Aubrey.  Your father would teach you better."

He smiled, bowed and followed his friends down the hall and toward the table; trying to smooth his hair out the whole way.  Arwen watched as he marched down the hall and disappear into the hall leading to the dinning table.  She took a breath and knocked on Aubrey's bedroom door.

"Come in," she opened the door to find Aubrey in her work clothes ready to start her work.

"Arwen, I wasn't expecting you," she looked back at Arwen through her mirror and searched through the little boxes piled on the table before her, "Adrielle never told me where she kept the bands to keep your hair back with.  Where is Adrielle anyway, she is usually in here by now?"  She wanted to know where her young elf friend was, but was kind of happy that she wasn't in earlier or she might have jumped to conclusions.

"Aubrey, Adrielle is missing," Arwen simply stated.

Aubrey looked up from the countless boxes, turned around and looked at Arwen, "What do you mean missing?"

"She wasn't in her room this morning and no one knows where she is," Arwen went up to Aubrey and put a hand on her shoulder, "Aubrey?"

Aubrey didn't say anything.  Not because she didn't want to, but because she was shocked.  Her mind was full of questions of 'when?' and 'Where?' and possibly of 'Who?' but she couldn't convey her questions through normal speech.

Could she have changed her mind and gone off to the Undying Lands? she asked in Elvish the only words she could think of at the time.

"The first wagon has not set off yet, and no one that is planning to leave has seen her either," Aubrey was getting worried and Arwen knew, "Don't worry Aubrey.  We will find her."

Aubrey just nodded her head in response and watched the shadows of her light drapes flow with the light wind coming through the windows.  Arwen leaned across the vanity table and pulled out a type of hair band and placed it in Aubrey's hand.

"Young Mr. Baggins and the others are at the dinning table ready for breakfast when you are ready," she said standing straight.

"Arwen?"

"Yes Aubrey?"

"Is there a chance that she might have been taken?"

Arwen took a moment and then bowed her head slightly.  Aubrey only nodded her head and put her hair in a high pony tail and followed Arwen out to the dinning table.

During breakfast Aubrey tried not to focus so much on Adrielle's disappearance and more on the work that had to be done by the end of the day.  Drogo cheered her up a few times and as always the eating habits of a certain Took always brought a smile to her face . . . along with some rolling eyes from the others.  Although through out the breakfast feast Aubrey could sense eyes watching her from down the table.  She did not trust Carond and wondered if Arwen actually did as well.  If someone indeed did take Adrielle, Aubrey was sure it couldn't be anyone but Lord Carond.

Afterward all six hobbits traveled down into the outer rim of Rivendell to see what needed to be done and helped with.  All three boys set off down the road to help with the new wall to help keep out some orc arrows from reaching the inner part of the city.  Drogo and Faramir both kissed their girl's cheeks and Thomas shook his cousin's hand just to make sure that she didn't feel left out and they traveled down the road.

The girls went to help the women and the younger children pick food for the days to come where there might not be much to share.  After the picking was done, they traveled down to help make some more arrows if they could, many didn't think that they could really help any.

Soon, Kat and Kate were sent to watch over the smaller children or to sew as Aubrey stayed to look over what they had made thus far.  Soon some of the men came into the building and began to pick a bow for a hunt for some meat.  Aubrey followed them, with them arguing the whole way.  Aubrey heard none of it as she followed them to the best hunting grounds.  There was no way she was going to sit back and inspect while she could be helping in gathering meat for food.

On the way to the best hunt lands the group spotted one of the wagons on their way to the ship that would lead the riders to the Undying Lands.  Aubrey stood for a moment to watch the younger elves leave with their parents.  They were looking out for their family and Aubrey understood that.

After the hunt Aubrey shot less then what the others did, but got a good amount of meat for her first day of hunting.  On the way back into Rivendell Aubrey saw the other wagon leave with the last of the couple of dozen set off for the Undying Lands.  Studying the wagon, she was hoping to find Adrielle's face among one of them to at least know that she was safe and well.  But neither of the two wagons held her friend, and she had to keep her search on going.

Before she turned away from the path below her she saw a figure a top a horse riding it hard toward the center building of Rivendell.  She recognized the figure almost immediately, gave her small game to the elf standing next to her who hadn't caught that much and started running back toward them.  As soon as she was in earshot she started to yell out his name, "Gandalf!"

The old wizard turned toward the young hobbitlass and gave her a weak smile.  She slowed down upon reaching him, "Gandalf, what happened to you?  What took you so long?"

"I will tell you and Arwen all when we get inside," he looked around her and noticed the blood on her clothes and gave her a questioning glance.

"I was hunting for some food," she explained.

"Ah, I see.  Where is Drogo and the others, I expect that they are still here."

"Of course they are.  The boys I suspect are still building the wall and looks like they will just be about done and the twins are looking after some of the small children or sewing I'm not totally sure which," Aubrey looked over Gandalf and noticed that he had quite a lot of missing or torn pieces on his cloak.  It was her turn to have a questioning glance.

He seemed not to have noticed it and watched as the boys and the twins walk back from their jobs, "Looks like they are done."

"Well, Gandalf . . . haven't seen you about for a while," Thomas said throwing his arms in front of his chest.

"I guess that it was time that I came back," he said, not making any clear sense to Thomas and turned to lead the way into the building.

Drogo and Aubrey stayed behind everyone else.

"I told you he would be back," Drogo said holding on to Aubrey's hand.

"He came back, yes, but . . . Drogo, he looks as if he was in a fight or something.  Pieces of his cloak are missing and he seems to be so tired."

"Come on, he will tell us at supper, but you have to be cleaned up as do most of us."

***

Later after the sun set at supper Gandalf sat between Arwen and Aubrey as he explained how he was in such bad appearance and how he came to be so tired, "I was ambushed, and it is as simple as that. The 'safe path' that was given to me was not safe at all.  A band of orcs knew exactly where to strike where I would be unaware of their presence."

"But I myself planned out that route to make sure that the orcs would not know of your presence in the wood.  But they must have gone a different route, over crossing with yours.  I'm glad you are safe Gandalf," Carond tried to explain.  Aubrey caught a hint of disappointment in his voice more then a person that was relieved to see Gandalf still alive.

"Well, we should take much more care on how we choose our paths, don't we, Carond?" Gandalf looked into Carond's eyes and started to say something else, but was interrupted by a younger elf rushing in through the doorway that Aubrey recognized as Philon.

"Lady Arwen, Lady Aubrey!  Orcs are at the front of Rivendell!  They are starting to advance," Arwen and Aubrey both stood up at the same time.

"Aubrey?" Arwen looked down at her.

"We need to get the children and the weaker elves that cannot fight into this building quickly.  They are the ones who won't be able to defend themselves as well."

"You heard her," Arwen said to Philon that ran back out the door keeping his arrows and bow tight to his side.

Drogo stepped beside Aubrey, clutching Sting in the one hand and Aubrey's hand with the other.

Gandalf stood as one of the tallest of all of them at the table, "Here they come."


	16. Orc Blood and Royality Robbed

Chapter 16: Orc Blood and Royalty Robbed

Aubrey grabbed her bow and bunch of arrows and joined Kate, Kat and Arwen helping the weak and children inside the building.  She looked out to see the bright light of Sting in Drogo's hand keep moving through the night.  She was scared that she would see the light stop and stay motionless in the nearly endless darkness.  She would be up on the shooting tower watching his sword lie motionless and she would not be able to help him at all.  She would be powerless to help him.

She saw Gandalf and in the slight light of the moon she could see Thomas and Faramir swinging their swords in the fight.  Kate and Kat were still helping the children and Aubrey made sure that they would be some of the few that stayed with the children just in case the orcs got as far as the palace; a judgment under both her own and Faramir's influence so that neither of the Bradybucks would be hurt.  After getting as many as a few dozen into the palace Aubrey climbed the side of the tower to her post where she would start to shoot down the orcs coming toward the palace.

Aubrey strung arrow after arrow shooting as many orcs as she could.  Many she could not hit as well as others, but the ones she did miss the others on the towers with her would shoot them down.  Aubrey watched the horrible results of war as both sides were being slaughtered.  It seemed as soon as and elf hit an orc down another orc would hit them down and an endless cycle would begin one after the other falling to the ground.  Aubrey couldn't see the victor in this war.  She couldn't draw the line on the most kills.  All she could be certain of was the dead bodies of both sides' lying dead on the ground.  Many of the elves could be seen with lost limbs or even lost heads.  The orcs on the other hand could be found as a whole body still together, but with fatal wounds in their heads or chests.

Through all of this she wanted to turn away to run back to her room and cry.  To run into Drogo's arms and bury her head into his comforting warmth and never let go was her ultimate wish and desire.  She couldn't show the feelings.  She had to stay strong and continue to fight.  Through the showers of arrows she could never once shed one tear.

Aubrey saw Arwen and the others lead the last of the children into the palace throwing a reassuring smile up at her.  Aubrey felt a little more confident as she knew where everyone was standing in the fight.  Well, maybe not everyone.  She saw many of the council members out on the field killing, wounding the enemy and at least one of them was already lying dead in the pale moonlight.  One was uncounted for and Aubrey was very anxious to know where he was.  Carond could not be found by Aubrey's eyes.  Even where she had told him where to fight he could not be found.

Aubrey pulled at air as she felt for more arrows behind her.  The bags were empty and the other two elves in the same tower with her were out as well.  Orcs began sending their own arrows toward them and Aubrey saw them finally bust through the wall made in quick haste earlier that day.  It fell in a series of small collapses.  The ruble did not catch any beneath its mass, which many were relieved of.  Aubrey could hear the victory call of the orcs from the falling of the wall as more masses of them ran into the city.  The line of elves that stood before them were almost instantly knocked to the ground as the wave of orcs washed over them.  Aubrey wished for more arrows to cut down the numbers before they reached the main line in the center of the city.

Almost seeming to hear her call for more arrows another elf ran up the side of the tower and gave the three of them more arrows to help in the fight.  Most of the arrows were covered with orc blood and other arrows were different and Aubrey noticed that they were orc arrows.  The young elf took down the side of the tower once again and his feet hit the ground running.  Although, before he got too far he was struck in the arm with an orc arrow and slid underneath a pile of wood, were no one really noticed that he was there.

"Keep shooting!" Aubrey yelled at the other two elves in her tower and started down the steps, trying to dodge the arrows that were being shot at her.  At least one grazed her face as she reached the ground level off the steps of the tower. She took no notice of the small wound except for a small gasp that escaped her lips upon the arrow's contact.

She ran across the fighting field, dodging both arrows and clanging swords.  Elves and orc both fell in front of her.  The swords barely flew above her head and she saw the stream of arrows cover the cool night air.  Blood shot out at her as she jumped out of the way of the spluttering blood of both elf and orc.  She jumped over the ones that she couldn't dodge in time and made it under the pieces of wood the younger elf had slid under.

"Are you alright?" Aubrey asked him touching his unwounded arm.  He looked at her a little strange and Aubrey understood that he probably didn't understand anything but Elvish as some elves did.  Are you all right? she repeated again in Elvish.

The arrow is in pretty deep, I can't pull it out by myself, he winced trying to tug a little on the arrow jammed into his shoulder.  Aubrey looked into the young elf's face and he seemed as though he was only twelve years old, but Aubrey knew better.  She touched the wound careful not to agitate it very much to look at how bad it was injured.

The skin around the arrow's entry seemed a little puffed up already and Aubrey knew that if he didn't get the proper attention it would get infected.  The arrow seemed to be an elf made arrow.  The orcs must have caught on to their plan of using the enemy's weapons against them, Aubrey had thought that might be giving them too much credit, but it was one of the only options floating in her mind at the time.

Aubrey looked around at the fighting and noticed that nothing or no one had reached the palace steps.  She turned back to the elf, Run toward the palace and get inside, you should be able to be helped inside by Lady Arwen.

But I need to gather the extra arrows for the towers.

I will do that, Aubrey said almost harshly to the elf, Now when I say go, run as hard as you can to the palace.  Time slipped by the slowest Aubrey every felt in the few seconds that she looked for a clear opening for the elf to run for safety.  She wasn't going to take a chance on this elf's life.  She had seen enough suffering and elf blood on the battlefront already.  Aubrey finally saw an opening and pushed the elf out of the pile, Go!

The elf ran faster then Aubrey ever thought possible of some one injured.  She could see an orc lift his arrow to strike the boy down, but Aubrey took her bow off her back and found an extra arrow near by and quickly shot the orc through both arms, making it unable to fight.  She watched and saw the boy run through the doors and into the palace.  The huge doors slammed shut again before arrows could be cast into the palace.

Aubrey looked around her general area for the first time after she looked for the opening for the elf.  She was just about ready to jump out when she heard a loud grunt from above her.  She rolled to her side where there was a little space for her to fit as she saw a nice sized blade break through the wood and then slide back out.  She saw the face of an orc look into the wood and then retreat as he saw Aubrey.  She heard another force of effort begin in his breathing and rolled out of the woodpile.  She rolled on her stomach to see the orc take his sword out of the pile to look again, apparently unaware that she had rolled out.  This observation just assuring her of her earlier assumption that there was almost no way that the orcs were thinking of this on their own.

She grabbed another arrow out of the orc corpse next to her and shot the unaware orc through the chest.  She ran over to the dead body, grabbed the arrows that were on him and ran off to find more arrows for the towers.  After grabbing a good arm full she headed up the closest tower to fill up their bundles and run toward the next one, picking up extra arrows on the way.

The tower that she was heading toward was silent and it seemed that all three of the elves were ducked down to shield themselves from the oncoming flow of arrows.  Aubrey tossed the bundle of arrows onto their platform and headed toward the tower that she was once shooting off of.  She had a good hundred yards to cover and not a lot of energy left in her legs.  She looked over her left shoulder before heading out on her run and saw Drogo fighting off a particularly tall orc and didn't see the one behind him.  Aubrey ran up to the struggle and stabbed the orc in the back with one of the daggers she placed on her hip.  It screamed along with the orc that Drogo had just sliced down to size.  He turned around and saw her standing over the orc.

"Hun, I can't watch over you the whole time.  Watch your back," she gave him a quick smile and kiss then ran toward the tower once again.  He smiled as well and shook his head unable to comprehend how she did it.  He turned around in time to stab an orc in the stomach and move on to the next one.

Aubrey gathered another good amount of arrows and ran back up to her old tower to check on their amount of arrows.  They were nearly out and really happy to find Aubrey back with an arm full of arrows ready for launch.  Aubrey looked down the line of towers to make sure that they were still firing and didn't need arrows as of yet.  She took off her bow yet again and started to fire at the horde of orcs down below.

The fight continued hard through the night as Aubrey kept running through the fighting masses to find more arrows and bringing them back up the towers.  At one point, Aubrey knew that it must have been morning by now, but remembered that at one time when the orcs were coming after her the sky became dark with thick clouds covering the land as if it was night.  She was sure that was the case now.  As she ran through the crowds she was sure to watch her friends' back as she looked upon the crowd.  Sometimes she couldn't find one or any of them and started to worry, but after a few minutes she would see the ones who were missing and kept going back to her tower.

Aubrey stood down from shooting at one point to look over the numbers of the dead.  She was kind of happy to see that not that many elves were actually injured in the battle thus far.  The orcs' dead outnumbered the elves' dead by at least ten to one.  Aubrey heard a scream from one of the other towers and saw one of the elves fall over out of one of the towers shot in the chest.  Aubrey patted the back of one of the elves to tell him that she was going to the tower and help them.  He nodded his head and kept shooting the enemy down below.

She jumped down the stairs and down the ground, a movement she had been perfecting ever since she began collecting arrows.  She ran over to the tower where the elf fell and touched his body.  She crouched over him and saw another elf arrow jammed through the middle of his chest.  It was strange, but she had not seen an elf arrow hit one of its own since the young boy elf was injured earlier.  He opened his eyes and saw Aubrey standing over him.  He grabbed her hand that was checking his pulse and barely blurted out a couple of words the best his could in Elvish, Elf not orc.

He placed her hand on the arrow in his chest and fell silent.  Aubrey didn't really now what to make of the message.  She sat there watching behind her and all around her to make sure that no one had spotted her yet.  While she struggled to get the arrow out from the body of the fallen shooter the thought just hit her, 'Elf _shooter_ not an orc.'

She looked up the steps of the tower and started to climb up quickly but carefully.  At the top she found another elf lying motionless and the last elf shooting down below.  Aubrey approached the one still unhurt and he turned to her, "Princess."

"Carond!  What are you doing here?" she gripped her dagger that was now behind her in the small of her back.

"The shooters were wounded I had to help," he knelt down and started to approach Aubrey.  She looked around for any other thing that she could use to defend herself just incase the dagger failed.  She looked over the tower and noticed that there were no arrows flying over the top as if the orcs had orders not to shoot this tower.  Aubrey looked desperately for the third shooter.  He had to be there, or that would have meant that Carond was always at the tower and she never noticed him while bringing the arrows to them.

As he came closer to her she felt very uneasy, "Shouldn't you be hitting orcs right now, Carond?"

"You would think so, wouldn't you?" he grabbed the back of her head and held her by the hair.

"You're the shooter," she said through gritted teeth.

"Ah, so your little friend told you about that, huh?" he bent down lower to her face and smelled her hair, "You know you are a very beautiful young woman.  You can do so much better than a common hobbit."

"He is nothing common!" she took the dagger out from behind her back and tried to hit him in the gut, but only got him to let go of her and she stepped back toward the stairs, "I knew in the end that you would betray us!  Your people!  You never were negotiating agreements with nymphs!  You were telling the orcs information!  You betrayed your whole people!"

"Very good, Princess," before Aubrey could react he tried to reach for her, but was tripped on something.  He yelled out in pain and Aubrey saw that the elf that she thought was dead had stabbed Carond's foot to the floor of the tower with one of the un-shot arrows.  

"Run Princess!  RUN!"

Aubrey gave him a quick smile of gratitude and started to run down the stairs of the tower.  Carond turned around and with a good amount of effort pulled the arrow out of his own foot.  He turned to the other elf and leaned on the tower's edge looming over the injured elf, "You will die."

"The princess is right.  You have betrayed us all.  Lady Arwen will have you killed for your treason!" the elf leaned against the wall trying to keep conciseness making big gulps of air and gritted his teeth tighter.  He held his stomach that was severely cut across with a dagger earlier.

"That is what you think," he swiftly cut the elf's neck and looked over the edge of the tower to see where Aubrey was.  He saw her barely at the bottom of the stairs and ran after her the best he could with his injured foot.  He caught her at the bottom of the stairs causing her to trip and her dagger flying out of her hand.  She turned around and began kicking and hitting at him.  He climbed up to her face and placed a hand over her mouth.

"Now listen, Princess.  If you stay quiet then you will have the royal treatment, if you don't cooperate you will wish that you could have stayed home with your dying hobbitlass mother!"  He pulled off his hand and looked at her in the eyes, "Well?"

"You go to Hell!" she tried to slap him, but he caught her hand.

"Wrong choice," he kissed her on the lips hard and she clawed at him with her nails.  He pulled away grabbing his face and hitting her, ultimately knocking her unconscious.  He looked around to check for any elves, but didn't see any as a rush of orcs ran by the crevasse or hole that he and Aubrey were in.  He slung her over his shoulder and bolted toward the palace.  Before he was even twenty feet of the palace doors, he was grabbed into a small hole where an orc hit him against the wall and caused him to drop Aubrey.

"Is this her?" the orc let him down the wall slowly.

"Who else?  Now let me down," the orc let go of him and Carond heaved Aubrey into a cart for her transportation, "You know where to go."

The orc nodded and Carond went back outside into the battle and ran once again toward the palace.

***

Drogo beheaded the last orc that he encountered and back up into something behind him.  He turned around just about hacking Faramir's head off as well.

"Whoa there, Drogo," Faramir said gripping his neck, "I hope that you thought that I was the enemy or I would think that you would want me dead."

Drogo grabbed his friend's shoulders and they both dropped to the ground and rolled under an orc that had just brought down his sword attempting to kill them.  The two hobbits brought out their small swords and shoved them through the orc in the gut.

"Come now, Faramir," Drogo said thrusting his sword back out of the orc, "Who then would be in my business if not you?"

Faramir smiled and they both rolled out from under the orc and looked around, "Where is the second line?"

"I don't know," Drogo looked at the elves who were asking themselves the same thing, "I don't think that anyone knows."

Philon came up to the two and checked to make sure they were alright, They are retreating.

Drogo looked at him strangely, 'Why would they retreat just like that without a warning after nearly a full day of fighting?'

The queen is asking everyone who survived to look for injured and to reassemble at the palace, Philon ran past Drogo's side and over to an elf that looked like he was still breathing.

Faramir looked at Drogo to figure out what had just happened.  He could only make out a few of the words from the little of lessons he had attended, but all of it still sounded like gibberish to him, "The orcs are retreating.  Look for survivors, Faramir.  Lady Arwen wants everyone back at the palace."

Faramir nodded and followed him back to the palace, finding only two living, wounded soldiers.

When they all came back into the palace, Kate ran up to them and nearly jumped into Faramir's arms.  Faramir hugged her tightly to him, clutching some of her hair lightly in his hand.  Kat smiled at them and at Drogo.  He asked her with his eyes if she had seen Aubrey, but she just shook her head.

The whole group looked around at the injured in search for Aubrey and Thomas, but could find neither.  Drogo was starting to get worried.  They passed a certain section of injured and saw Carond leaning over a soldier he had just brought in.  Drogo noticed the elf as one he saw fall over one of the towers earlier and saw that he was long dead, and wondered to himself why Carond even bothered to bring him in.  He didn't think that he would have had the heart.

They stopped in the middle of the room in front of Arwen.  Drogo approached her, "We can't find Aubrey."

Arwen's face went to surprise and worry and looked up, "Attention!  The princess is missing!  Find her!"

"There is no need for that," Thomas came in dragging another injured in, but it wasn't Aubrey.  Thomas himself looked like he was injured in the leg and tried to limp the rest of the way in.

"Thomas?" Drogo went over to him and helped him carry in the injured.

"I saw Carond taking Aubrey to the palace, so she should be here."

Everyone looked at the advisor and his face didn't change expression from his indecisive glances that he usually wears.  Thomas threw out something from his unoccupied hand, "I was hoping to return this to Aubrey after she must have dropped it from you carrying her in."

The dagger scratched across the marble and halting at Carond's feet.  Carond didn't even look down at the dagger as a smirk spread on his face, "Stupid hobbit."

Thomas's face never changed from his mad expression and his eyes focused on Carond, "Where is Aubrey?"

Drogo looked at him waiting for an answer along with Arwen and Thomas.  Carond couldn't help but laugh.

"You really think that a hobbit like you can stop me?"

"No," Drogo stepped between them, "But an angry hobbit like I can.  Now, answer the question, where is Aubrey?"

"One thing I have to say," Carond said backing up, "You'll never find her alive.  The power of Sorion's jewel will be the dark lord's and all will bow to him in time.  I will be at his right hand, getting my rewards for serving him.  Who knows, I might even be able to keep Aubrey."  He looked over at Drogo who was being held back by Faramir and Kate, "I never quite understood what she saw in you.  A plain hobbit of the Shire."

"Carond!" Gandalf stepped into the room and pointed his staff at the elf, "You run and you will die!"

"Only if you catch me and I don't kill you first," he stepped back once again, stopped and disappeared through the floor.

"NO!"  Drogo took off toward the floor and began to pound it with his fists, "Bring back Aubrey you bastard!  Bring her back!"

Faramir pulled his friend back and Drogo eventually gave up his struggle too tired from the battle.

"That is why the orcs gave up so quickly," Arwen stood beside Gandalf, "What are we going to do?"

"The only thing we can hope for.  Build Rivendell back up, get ready for another orc attack if they decide to attack once again and find Aubrey."

Kat held Drogo in a hug after she took him from Faramir and let him cry into her shoulder.  Thomas pounded his fist into the marble as he leaned his head into the white wall.  Faramir and Kate held each other close hoping that it wasn't true.

Drogo didn't want it to be true.  Aubrey wasn't there . . . for the first time in his life, his heart was broken.  The orcs had succeeded in taking another loved one away from him.  The only sounds that he could muster were the sounds that he would make if he were wounded badly.  His eyes were closed, shut tightly and his teeth never unclenched.  His cousin tried desperately to keep him from thinking the worst, but she could never help that.  He swore then and there that none of them would live after he was done with them.  And Carond better pray that he will be dead long before Drogo got to him.


	17. Mourning and Torture

Chapter 17:  Mourning and Torture

Drogo and the others helped to rebuild the rubble that was left behind of the wall.  Not many of the elves that were on the blood soaked ground were actually dead and many were saved by the actions of others bringing them in after the initial battle.  Many were seriously hurt, but have high hopes of recovering with not much more then a lot of recovery and a large scar.  The young boy elf that Aubrey had helped after he was shot in the arm told his story and more people had respect for Aubrey then ever before.  Even the ones who had no faith in her ability to lead had their minds changed once the story touched them.

The group of hobbits tried their hardest to both remember Aubrey and to get her memory off their minds.  They wanted to let go, but keep hold tight to the hope that their friend was going to come back.  She was going to climb over the hill just south of Rivendell and run up to them with a great smile on her face.  She would tell them how she narrowly escaped the clutches of Carond and the orcs and ran all the way back to Rivendell on just her will alone.  But no one saw her bright face coming over the hill.  No one heard of her great escape, and nearly no one believed that she was even alive.

Drogo took the hardest hit.  He kept telling the others in his own doubt that she would be back.  He kept telling them that if she wasn't going to come back that the power would have already been taken over and the world that they knew now, would have been destroyed long ago.  He believed at least that much.  He had to lean on that hope that she still lived; that she was still was out there hanging on.

The third hour of work Drogo and the others were cleaning up the last of the rubble of the long ago destroyed wall.  After the clean up was done Drogo walked away from the group and sat on the bridge over looking the small creek and let his legs dangle over the surface of the water.  His arms folded in front of him and his head was leaning on them using them as a slight cushion for his chin.  He stared down into the water and could only think back to the days when she was still there.

"Hey Drogo, they're making a second breakfast just for us.  Are you coming?" Faramir asked leaning on the bridge railing and looking down at his friend, "If you don't come I can't stop Thomas from eating your share."

"Let him have it, Faramir.  I'm not very hungry these days," Drogo didn't remove his eyes from the water's faint glow of the morning sun's reflection.

Faramir gave a deep sigh and looked up at the trees' branches above them, "I miss her too, you know?"  Drogo only gave a slight nod of his head and continued to get sucked into the hypnotic pool of ripples.  "I'll try to leave you something if you change your mind on second breakfast, but I'm not promising anything."

Faramir left Drogo to himself and joined Kate as she waited for him by the side of the bridge.  Kate must have asked how he was doing or something because Faramir lifted his hand and shook his head.  Kate let it drop and the two tried desperately to catch up to Thomas and Kat who were already half way to the dinning hall.

After Drogo knew that they were gone he pushed his hand into one of his pockets and pulled out a small ring and turned it over and over in his hands.  He watched it as the gold band of the ring shone with some of the greatest brilliance he could ever think of.  He turned the ring to let the small stone turn toward him and looked deep into the brilliance of the small crystal almost too small to be seen in the gold band.

He gave the ring a frustrating look and closed his hand around it tightly.  He was about to throw it into the water, but caught himself before he released the ring from his grip.  Again he opened his hand and looked at it again, letting the light shone off of it reflect on his face, "I can't do it.  If I throw this away, then I would truly be giving up on her."

"It was to be her ring, wasn't it Drogo?"  Drogo struggled to get up when he saw Arwen standing over him. 

"M' lady," he bowed.

"Drogo, there is no need for such formalities between us," Arwen said, "Please sit."

They both sat down on the bridge, "Why aren't you at the second breakfast?"

"I don't want to eat," he said softly placing the ring back in his pocket.

"Can I see it?" Arwen said mentioning the ring, "Before you put it away?"

He nodded his head and handed her the ring.  She studied it and held it up to the light, "It is quite beautiful.  How long did you have to wait until you got to buy it?"

"Two months, nearly three," he said when Arwen handed the ring back to him, "I knew that we were both really young, but I would have still asked her to . . . well, you know.  Just to know that it was in our future, no matter what.  Maybe if we were to get separated like this, she would have something to hold on to by looking at it.  Knowing that I'm still there for her and still hoping for her return to me."

"I think that she already knows that, Drogo," Arwen tried to reassure him and give him a hope.

"I'm sure she does, but I'm not so sure about me anymore," he looked up at her with tears in his eyes, "I don't know if I'll ever see her again unless it is in my dreams.  I would single-handedly march up to the place they're keeping her and save her if I'll have to.  But we don't even know where that is."

"We will find out, Drogo," Arwen patted his back, "Don't worry love will find a way.  Especially a love as strong as yours and Aubrey's."

Arwen got off the bridge and looked down at him, "And I expect you to be at lunch.  You need your nutrition, especially if you hope to beat all those orcs single-handedly when we _do_ find out where they are keeping Aubrey."

He gave a weak smile and nodded to Arwen.  She left toward her room and Drogo looked back into the ripples of the small trickle of a creek.  He let a small tear slid down his cheek and fall into the water.  'I will find you Aubrey,' he thought to himself and he could almost hear Aubrey talking back to him.

'_I promise that we will be together no matter what,' and a slight stream of wind passed by him as he could almost feel her kiss on his cheek._

***                                      

Aubrey strained for her eyes to open.  The darkness in the cell helped her to open them faster and she didn't have to struggle to adjust to the light.  Her eyes couldn't focus immediately, but she could see the form of another body in her cell across from her.  She opened and closed her eyes quickly to get the glossy finish all wiped away.  After the scene started to clear up she still couldn't see the person's face as they were on their side and facing away from her.

She turned her head upward and toward the window barred and Aubrey knew incapable of being broken through.  The cell seemed just like the one she shared with Mandy and the other girls when she first arrived in Middle Earth.  Although this time the cell was darker and set away from others.  The only light that was visible excluding the rare moonlight was the light of some burning torches right outside the doorway.  Aubrey pushed herself off the ground and tried to stand up, but was pulled back down by gravity and the weight of her chains that were strapped only to her wrists.

The flow of light from the torches right outside the door was interrupted by the passing orc guard that ran into the other room, shouting to the next guard down the hall and resumed his post by the door.  As he retook his position he gave Aubrey an amused smirk and turned his head to the forward position.  She gave him a grimace and wanted to stick out her tongue at him, but thought it too childish for such a situation.  She could hear the pounding of feet in the side cambers and above her as the orcs carried the message to where ever it was going.

She looked down at her hands, which still felt raw from the battle and saw the stinging scratches that nearly covered them.  Her clothes were still in one piece ignoring the fact of the battle tears and all.  She felt a slight twinge of pain on her left cheek and held it with her hand.  She had forgotten about the small scratch given to her by a flying arrow.  Her feet were sore and she saw the scrapes on her heels that might have been inflicted by the orcs dragging her into the cell.

After a few moments she started to hear mumbling and saw movement from her cellmate across from her.  Aubrey crawled across the rough cement blocks and tugged the chains behind her to sit semi-comfortably next to the person.  The orc didn't seem to notice or care, Aubrey wasn't sure which it was.  She felt the person's wrists and ankles and felt the heavy and scratchy metal that was connected to her own wrists.  She helped the other person turn over and looked at her face.

"Princess Aubrey?" the girl looked up at her and gave a small smile.

"Adrielle . . . What have they done to you?" Aubrey tried to wipe off the dirt that surrounded her eyes and face, but stopped when Adrielle winced in pain.  She seemed so weak and tired that Aubrey had wondered where her once cheery friend had gone.  They had broken her, broken her spirit almost down to nothing.

She touched Aubrey's hand and shook her head, "That isn't dirt; they are bruises."

"God . . . Adrielle how did you get here?"

"Now, now.  You really don't want to go through that story again do you, Adrielle?  Wouldn't you rather have me tell it to the Princess?" Aubrey's spine shivered at the sound of his voice.  She turned around with her face already contorted with anger.  She placed Adrielle down on the ground softly and picked herself up for the first time off the cell floor.  She was bound and determined not to show her weakness in front of him.

He looked her over, "Still as radiant as ever, Princess."

"And you're still the coward asshole that knocked me out in Rivendell," she snarled at him.  Adrielle looked up from the floor and watched the two talk to one another.  Aside from Aubrey's apparent show of anger, she could have sworn they were talking over some trivial matter while drinking some tea from both of their demeanor.

"A princess should learn to choose better and nicer words when talking to a nobleman," he shook his head and looked down at the ground.

Aubrey rushed forward and was nearly thrown back by the reflex of the chains that held her wrists.  She breathed hard and stared at him straight in the eye, "You are no nobleman . . . I'm not even to go so far as to call you a man."  His eyes shot up and he slapped her across the face.

She spit out some spit that was starting to mix with blood in her mouth, "And so help me, if these chains weren't holding me back I would break you in half."

"Like you tried when I had you pinned down?" he laughed lightly at her, "You can be so amusing."  He stoked the side of her face and she tried to actually bite his hand, "And dangerous."

He motioned for one of the guards to come into the cell.  They moved around Aubrey and released her chains, but securely held her hands behind her back.  She struggled for a minute and looked at Adrielle still watching from inside the cell.

"Take her to the conference room," Carond ordered the one that held her.  She began to struggle once again as he slammed the cell door shut and left Adrielle lying weak on the cold floor, her eyes open with terror and worry for Aubrey.

Once reaching the room the orc pushed Aubrey down in a chair that was set next to a large table setting in the middle of the room.  She rubbed the spots on her arms and wrists where the orc had held her and looked around the room.  It was almost as dark as the cell, but that could only be from the dark colors that covered the room's walls.  There was only one other chair in the room that was nearly connected to her own.  In the corner of the room she could see a huge canopy bed and was starting to feel unsure on what kind of conference room it really was.

She heard Carond order the orc to guard outside and the door closing shut behind her.  She was all alone in the room with Carond.

"Once you get used to the smell, the orcs aren't that bad to agree with," he smirked and touched the side of her face pulling back some of her hair away from her eyes.  She pulled her face away from his touch and kept her eyes forward.

"What do you want from me?"

"The jewel of course," he sat on the table in front of her, "That's what got this whole 'adventure' started, isn't it?"

She looked up at him, "You might as well forget about it.  I've already noticed that you can't get it off my neck.  An orc tried that earlier and boy did he get a shock."

"Yes, a minor drawback," he sneered at her, his confidence slightly fading away for a second.

"Minor?  I would think that would put a huge wench into your works wouldn't you?"  He looked at her strange and she remembered that they probably never heard of a wench before, "Now what are you going to do?"

"Whatever it takes to get you to surrender the jewel to us," he almost pushed his face toward her own.  He started to lean in, but Aubrey spit in his face before he could make his move.  He backed up and used a handkerchief from his pocket to clean his face with.

"You can forget it," Aubrey repeated.

"Well what about manual labor, huh?  Will that change your mind?"

"I actually find it quite refreshing to do work with my own hands."

"And torture?  What do you say to that?"

"Everybody needs to have some pain in their life.  Both emotional and physical," Aubrey smiled to herself as she saw the frustration building on Carond's face.

"You don't understand the situation Princess.  We need that power to-"

"I am already aware that you want to bring back Suaron.  And I will tell you now . . . you will have better luck going down to hell and bringing him back up then from trying to take the amulet from me."

Carond let a huge sigh release from his lips and went back behind her where Aubrey was certain he would bring in his orc goon to take her to the torture chamber.  Instead she felt his hand on her shoulder, pushing some of the smooth fabric of her shirt down the edge of her arm.  He took his other hand and pushed some of her hair out of the way of her neck.

"You know this would go a lot easier if you just cooperated with me," he bent down quickly and tried to kiss her neck.  She hit him in the nose and jumped from her chair.  He still held a piece of her shirt and tore it as she pulled away.  She was only sorry that she couldn't hit him harder because he wasn't bleeding from the blow that she had just given him.

"You sick pervert!" she looked at him, making sure that he didn't walk toward her any more, "How much older are you than I?  Three thousand years?  Maybe four?!"

"It shouldn't matter with you being the princess.  You could have anyone you want," he put down his hand from his face, "And you chose a hobbit from the Shire."

"I love him . . . and you can never break me of that," she stood strong and held the torn piece of material on her shoulder.

He gave her a glare and called the orc back into the room, "Show our princess here what happens when she doesn't obey the right commands."  The orc nodded and grabbed Aubrey's hands behind her back once again and led her out of the room and down the hall, "She will soon learn that I will always get what I want."

***

Aubrey spent what seemed like a full night in the torture room.  She was somehow relieved to see no one else in the room, being tortured with her.  All around her laid numerous pieces of torture devices ready for use.  Some of the branding irons or pokers still held some of the blackened flesh of the ones it was used on before.  The heat that she had felt when she first arrived at Middle Earth was felt even more intensely in the torture room, where there was only one window and even that would only bring hot air inside the room.  She knew exactly where she was in Mordor, and she tried to concentrate on that fact all through the torture sequence.

At first they only beat her with their bare hands, mostly along the face and middle of the gut.  Soon enough they started to use what looked like pieces of leather for belts and slapped it across her skin.  She didn't cry out and she didn't cry.  She let them do whatever they wanted as long as she kept the two very important facts stuck in her brain.  She needed to remember were on a map in Mordor this would be located to try and send word to Drogo somehow and she needed to keep reminding herself that Drogo loved her and was probably waiting for her return.  She had to survive and return to him.

The orcs beat harder on her untouched skin, making marks that wouldn't soon heal and would give them a starting point for the next torture session.  Aubrey's soft skin started to turn harsh and scraped.  The leather stung each time it contacted her skin and hurt twice as much each time it hit her.  Soon the soft skin gave way and parts of her stomach, arms and legs split on contact.  Her hands and legs were useless to protect her as the whips of leather continued to warp her once ivory skin now dyed with a new crimson shade of her blood.

They stopped for a few minutes and Aubrey hung almost lifelessly from the chains that held her up.  The extent of the beatings was too much for her and even though she tried not to show it, a few tears went down her cheek.

"Still unwilling to scream, aren't you?"

Aubrey lifted her eyes to see the same hideous face of the orc who ordered her and Mandy to jump after being changed.  She tried to give him a nasty greeting, but couldn't control the contortions of her face any longer.  The orc lifted her head by the chin and looked her in the eyes.  Her head rocked back and forth as he looked at the damage already taken on her.

"Good work," he said to the ones behind him, "You should have given in, girl."

"I will never give in," Aubrey harshly whispered through her bloody lips.

"And what about your great revenge you talked of?  It was you who said you would be back to stop our rein of terror, was it not?" he chuckled a little and the others took the hint to start laughing.

Aubrey then noticed that this specific orc was smarter then the others.  He held the knowledge that Aubrey would think that Carond held in his head.  He stopped his chuckling and grabbed her by the neck, and pushed her back against the wall.

"Well, you're here . . . were is your great power?"

It took all of her strength to lift her arms up and grab the orcs massive arm holding her up, "Let . . . let me . . ."

"What?  I didn't hear you scream yet?" he held her neck tighter in his grasp.

Aubrey struggled for breath and her world was growing smaller and smaller.  She didn't know what to do.  She was powerless.  It would be so ironic that she would die powerless to stop her killer, yet she had the most powerful jewel in existence hanging around her neck.

'I'm sorry dad,' she felt another tear slid down the side of her face and fall on the orc's hand.  She looked past the orc pushing the air out of her windpipe at the other orcs behind him and noticed them backing up and away from her.

"Scream girl!  I want to see you break!"

"Let . . . me . . . GO!" Aubrey yelled at the orc.  The amulet glowed brightly and threw all three orcs in the room back against the other wall.  The one that had grasped Aubrey's neck opened his eyes and looked around.  Some how he was the only one that survived the blast of light, the other two were nowhere to be found.

Aubrey had no strength left and had let herself swing lightly in the chains.  He got up and walked toward Aubrey wanting to choke her, but found that his right hand that was used to push Aubrey against the wall was burned off.  The flesh was burned almost black and smelt of rotting meat.  Aubrey opened her eyes to see the orc scream franticly at his lost appendage.  She wasn't sure on what happened with her amulet, but the reassuring warmth that it gave her told her all she needed to know.  Aubrey smiled at the fact that she wasn't the one that was screaming.  She wasn't the one asking for mercy.  She is the one who will resist until she dies.


	18. Deals and Scouting Missions

Chapter 18: Deals and Scouting Missions

The dungeon grew quiet after the smart orc stopped his screeching about his hand.  The heat kept building in the already muggy air and Aubrey couldn't know how much longer she could stand the heat.  Eventually the heat had got to her and the darkness that was at one time only surrounding the room was now starting to surround only her.  The dark colors of the black, grays and the dreary blues started to collapse on her.  She begged her body not to give in to sleep, but she didn't really have any other choice, but to close her eyes and fade into sleep.  It seemed to Aubrey this sleep would be eternal, but in her slumber the only things she could think of is Rivendell, Adrielle and Drogo.

Aubrey stayed on the chained wall until Carond decided to come in and see how the torturing was doing.  When he came in he saw the captain orc sitting closest to the door holding his burned stub of a hand and looking hatefully at the unconscious form of Aubrey.  Carond grabbed him up, but before he could say or ask anything the orc left the room swiftly through the door.  Carond wasn't sure what had happened, but looked directly at Aubrey after the orc captain left.

He stepped swiftly up to her and held her chin tight in his grasp.  She felt the pain from her face course through out her body and up and down her legs and woke up facing Carond.  He looked her in the eyes and waited, squeezing on her chin relentlessly, until her eyes met his, to talk.

"What happened?"                             

Aubrey struggled to get the words out of her mouth.  It was hard enough to talk with out him squeezing her chin, "My father-"

"Your father is dead!  How did _you_ kill my men?!"

"The amulet fed off . . ." she struggled even more, "it fed off of what I was feeling.  My anger . . .it made a beam of light and . . . threw all three into the back wall."

"Where are the other two?"

"One word, Carond," Aubrey tried to smile a bit, "Hell."

He threw her head to the side, pushing off her chin.  He turned away from her and smoothed his hair back with his hands.  He cleared his throat and turned back toward Aubrey fixing the fabric that was ruffled around his neck.  He walked up slowly to Aubrey and started to undo the chains around her hands allowing her to drop to the ground.

"I didn't think that you knew how to use it," Carond looked at her, picking her up and walking down the hall.

Aubrey would have struggled tremendously if she had the strength, but knew all too well she couldn't fight Carond in her condition.  She looked down the hall, "I don't know how.  I told you it fed off of my emotions."

He only gave a nod and an involuntary grunt and placed her on the floor right next to her cell.  Aubrey looked behind her to see Adrielle lift up her head and see her.  Carond dragged her into her cell and placed her next to Adrielle.  She looked at him with such hatred that Aubrey knew all too well.  He shot back the look, turned and walked back out the door.

Adrielle watched him walk out of sight from the cell; her energy seemed to have come back in at least part.  As she heard his distant heel clicks fade on the stone stairs she turned her attention to Aubrey.  She crawled over to Aubrey who was leaning against the side of the cell wall, gritting her teeth against the pain.  Adrielle started to check over her injuries and started to tear pieces off of her and Aubrey's clothes for bandages.

"He sure gave you the royal treatment when it comes to torture," Adrielle went over to the crack in the corner of the cell.  Aubrey never noticed it before she was taken from the cell.  Adrielle brought over few of the torn pieces of material that were now all soaked with water.  Aubrey kind of leaned closer to the wall at the sight of the given crude water.  Adrielle looked at what she was looking at and gave a kind of a smirk, "Don't worry Aubrey, the water here is possibly the cleanest thing."

Aubrey let Adrielle clean her wounds the best she could with the damp material and dress them with the dry ones in her other hand.  Soon Aubrey's arms, legs and torso were dressed in different colored pieces of material that stopped the bleeding.  After most if not all the wounds were dressed both girls leaned back against the wall so Aubrey could regain her strength.  After a couple hours Aubrey woke up from a small rest and came back to reality more or less sore, but better then she was before her much needed rest.

Adrielle was sitting next to her looking outside the cell door, focusing on the light from the torches dance on the stone floor.  Aubrey cleared her throat and Adrielle broke her focus from the dancing light.  She smiled at Aubrey, "Feeling better?"

"Sore, but yes better," Aubrey felt her torso and pulled her arm away from the pain.

Adrielle looked at her sympathetically, "How far did he get?"

Aubrey didn't really understand her question and looked at her strangely.  Adrielle looked away from her, but Aubrey answered in the only way she could, "Well, after he tried to threaten me to giving him the amulet, he tried to put the moves on me.  When I fought back he sent me to the torture room and I'm now in the condition you see now."

"That's as far as he-" Adrielle quickly stopped herself in mid sentence and turned away from Aubrey.  Aubrey was starting to understand a little clearer by what she meant in her question a few seconds earlier.

"Adrielle . . . he didn't-"

"Did he explain why I'm here?" Adrielle changed the subject and Aubrey shook her head.

"He was too upset that I hit him in the nose after he tried to kiss me a second time."

She nodded her head and took a deep breath, "It is pretty much because I knew too much.  You remember how I told you that Philon and I would sneak behind him to try and follow him into the forest but was always caught?"

Aubrey nodded her head.

"Well," Adrielle continued, "I decided to follow him alone.  I caught him talking to orcs at the edge of Rivendell.  I ran from the scene, hoping to make it back before they caught me, but Carond already knew what and who.  He came to my room before I had a chance to tell anyone and took me here.  And then after the torture to find out what I already knew he . . . he . . ."

"He what Adrielle?" Aubrey leaned forward touching her hand and looking into her eyes.

"He took me to the 'conference room' and he . . . he . . ."

"He didn't touch you, did he?"

Adrielle looked into her eyes and the tears began to flow.  She collapsed into Aubrey's shoulder sobbing deeply into the left over fabric of her shirt.  Aubrey clung to her in a deep hug and rubbed her back.  Her tears soaked every inch of Aubrey's shoulder piece.  "It's going to be ok, Adrielle," she looked down at the top of her friend's head, "Shhh . . . it's going to be ok."

"How is it going to be ok?  After what he did how can I never face Philon again?" Adrielle choked out between sobs.

"You and Philon . . . are . . ."

Adrielle looked up at her and wiped the tears out of her eyes, "But you must have been in pretty bad shape for him to order the orc guard from the cell door."

"Well, I always give them a good knock about myself," Aubrey tried to get her friend to smile, but nothing broke on her face, except for her already broken spirit.

An orc appeared at the cell doorway and looks down at the two, "Time for labor work!  UP!"

Aubrey helped Adrielle up and leaned close to her as she stumbled a bit.  Aubrey whispered into her ear, "Whatever you do, do not let the orcs see your pain.  They take pleasure in it, don't give it to them."

Adrielle nods her head and lets Aubrey and the orc led her out of the cell.

***

Drogo was heading out of his room to meet Thomas to talk about the days ahead and what they will do to entertain themselves.  They both had their head down watching their feet pass below them.  As they went toward the dinning hall they took a break to look out the window and watched stars fade into the morning sun.  "We have to get more sleep, cousin. I'm starting to see things in my porridge in the morning," Thomas said with a yawn, "I mean we have been up every morning when it is still dark.  I don't know how much longer I can take this.  Plus with my late night mischievous exploits with Kat. . ."

Drogo looked at him strangely, "So that is where the extra food has gone to.  Your stomach."

"And Kat's stomach as well . . . What?  It is something to do.  Kat and I had to find something to do when Kate and Faramir were . . . well, busy.  Although it would be much more fun if both Kate and Aubrey were there with us."

Drogo rolled his eyes, "Well, I think that losing a little sleep is a small price to pay to remember, don't you?" Drogo kept his gaze at the sunrise laid out before him.

"She's coming back, Drogo," Thomas looked at him, almost glaring at the thought that he didn't believe that she was going to come back.

"Yeah . . ." Drogo looked down at his left hand and saw the glittering piece of gold that surrounded his pinky finger, "I know she is."

"I just hope I don't have to remind you so much these days.  I seriously need more sleep.  I mean, just how much longer do you think my beauty is going to last without any beauty sleep?"

Drogo ignored his cousin's last statement and changed to another subject, "I just wish that we could do more then to sit here and wait for a stupid plan to take form.  She could be seriously hurt and all we're doing is looking at sunrises."

"Which were all your idea I wish to remind you."

"I know, I know," Drogo smiled at his cousin's lame attempt to rescue himself from blame.  Then he thought of something that Aubrey used to say to him continuously in geography and popped his head up, "I know nearly everything there is."

"Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves here cousin."

"No, I mean I know geography," Drogo looked straight at his cousin.

"I don't see where you are going with this," Thomas said rubbing his chin and looking quite confused.

"Come on, hopefully Arwen is awake already."

Both of them ran down the hall at full speed almost running into the same person they were rushing off to meet.  They both stopped so suddenly that they tripped over their feet, which isn't so hard for a hobbit to do, and fell into the floor.  She turned to them now spread on the floor from tripping on their own feet.  "Why, Drogo and Thomas . . . what is the hurry?"

"I have a plan to find Aubrey," Drogo said staring at Arwen from the floor.  They both helped each other up and stood quietly for Arwen to hear Drogo correctly.

"Come in," she pushed them into her room and closed the door, "What do you have in mind, Drogo?"

"Do you have a map of Mordor?" Drogo stepped over to a big desk.  Arwen dug in her desk and brought out a map of Mordor and Drogo looked it over.  "My plan is to search the darkest places in Mordor that may have a castle or some kind of shelter where they could be holding Aubrey," he thought some more and pointed to the side of a volcano, "And it has to be near a volcano."

"Why?" Thomas asked barely awake as it was.

"Aubrey told me that when the orcs had first brought her to Middle Earth the orcs took her to a holding facility that was suspended right by a fire pit, which may be fueled by volcanic rock."

Arwen and Thomas looked at him strangely and Thomas wondered out loud, "And you came up with these ideas just because you were full of yourself saying you 'knew, you knew'?"

"I comes just like that, Thomas," Drogo looked up from the map, "You just have to have the food out of your mouth long enough to think."  He looked at Arwen and away from the still half shocked, half hurt Thomas, "I can only think of these two places, Arwen," he pointed at two castles that were as far as they knew still in order.

"We don't have many soldiers to spare, Drogo," Arwen said scanning the map in front of her, "And I don't think that Gandalf would approve."

"Gandalf does not need to know.  We don't need soldiers, Arwen," she looked at him, "I have all the army I need in my friends."  He grabbed Thomas from around the shoulders and smiled big.  Thomas shrugged his shoulders and smiled big as well, trying to go along with his cousin.

Arwen saw the same determination she saw in Aubrey and shook her head in the defeat of her common sense, "Very well Drogo, you go at dawn."

"It is dawn," Drogo looked out the window with the smile still bright on his face.  Arwen smiled at him and knew that it would not be long until Aubrey will be back in Rivendell.

"Then we leave after breakfast!" Thomas broke in, "If I don't get sleep I at least get my first breakfast!"  Thomas stood up strong and put his hands on his hips.

Both Drogo and Arwen sweat drop and smile nervously at one another.

After the first breakfast that Thomas said he so desperately needed, all five of the hobbits set out.  Drogo led them straight into the wooded areas surrounding Rivendell and continued to push forward.  By mid morning they stopped and gave themselves a break from their long trek.  Drogo looked behind and down the trail they had been following thus far.

"Hey, Drogo, aren't you going to have some of this tea?  I know it is a little early from the normal afternoon tea, but it is here," Thomas said waving an empty cup in Drogo's direction.

"Shush Thomas," Drogo waved his hand at his cousin and walked toward the side of the road.

Thomas wasn't sure what he was doing, but shrugged his shoulders and went along with his saying of, "More for me then."

Drogo focused intensely into the green bushes and low trees.  He could have sworn that he heard or saw something.  As he turned around to have some of the tea he heard the hard breathing of something in the same spot he was just looking.  He snapped around pulled out the body and held Sting at its throat.

"Let me go, I am on your side!"

"Philon?" Drogo asked looking at the elf he pinned on the ground.

"Yes Philon," he rubbed his side where Drogo held him a little too tight and let him help him up, "I'm going with you."

"Did Arwen send you after us?" Faramir asked coming over to see what all the fuss was about.

"No," he stood up dusting himself off, "I came because I believe that wherever Princess Aubrey is, that is where my Adrielle is."

Drogo was very surprised to hear this confession from Philon, but nodded his head.  He knew what Philon was doing, and how he was feeling.  There was no way that he was going to let him just sit and wait for another day when he could go and try another long shot to find Adrielle.  The hobbit and elf had much in common, except height that is, and both were unaware that the first stop they were going to check when getting into Mordor is the only stop they need to find their lost loves.

***

Aubrey and Adrielle were split into two different parts of the fire pit.  Aubrey gave her an encouraging look and went off with her group of girls. Before she had set out she reminded herself to tuck the jewel underneath the top of her dress. The fire pit was just how she remembered it.  The flames were licking at her heels and the bottom of her feet as she made her way across the bridges to the bundles that she was expected to carry.  The unbearable heat still encompassed everyone who trudged along the top of the platforms.  The orange and red light of the flames illuminated the area well enough so that the girl did not fall into the pit when working.  The only way they would fall in was for the orc's amusement, or by the way Mandy had died . . . by their own accord.

As soon as Aubrey reached the other side of the bridge she looked at the other girls standing with her on the same platform.  There were a few dwarves and about three elves from the look of it.  Aubrey looked to her left and saw five other hobbitlasses beside herself.  She walked over to the small group and was the first to grab the first bundle.  Some of the other girls looked at her with confused looks and whispered to one another.  Aubrey was wondering why and stood still for a little with the heavy bundle slung over her shoulder.  No one made a move and Aubrey wasn't sure that she was doing the right thing.

At the end of what seemed like five minutes the eldest looking hobbitlass stepped forward and took a bundle of her own.  Her light colored hair was pulled back and tied with what looked like a small piece of material torn from her dress.  Her face was covered with ash that the smoke must have carried up from the fire below.  Her eyes burned with the same light blue color as Drogo's.  Aubrey looked at her for a minute and then remembered her as the hobbitlass that helped the other girls when Aubrey first arrived.  

She smiled at Aubrey and stepped in front of her leading the way down to another platform.  They loaded and unloaded a couple of bags on a few trips before the silence was broken between Aubrey and the other hobbitlass.

"You have to excuse the others and I," the woman said to Aubrey right behind her, "You and your elf friend are the two newest people that came here.  Usually they do not make you work until your marked, if you are new.  And even then, the new girls never are the first to grab a bundle."

"Yeah, well, I already went through the marking, and then they tried to feed me to the fire.  Some hospitality, huh?"

The woman whirled around and grabbed Aubrey by the shoulders.  Aubrey was a little startled and wouldn't have minded it so much if her arms weren't still sore.  The woman read the pain on her face and let go immediately, "Sorry lass."

"It's alright, I'm still here," Aubrey rubbed her arms on both sides.

"I knew it was you.  I just got so excited that, well I couldn't contain myself," Aubrey was wondering how this woman knew her, "You are the girl who escaped on the great eagle earlier, aren't you?"

"Yes I am.  I didn't think that anyone would remember that here."

"Well, that was a great feat.  I'm sorry about your elf friend who fell before you though.  It must have taken them a while to track you down and bring you back."

"You have no idea," Aubrey started walking again and pushed at the woman's back seeing that an orc started to watch them while they stopped in the middle of the bridge.  The watchful eye was probably not a good thing.

"Did you make it to Hobbiton?"

"Yes actually . . . even though that is not where I am from," Aubrey lifted another heavy bundle on her shoulder, her legs started to sway a little under the pressure, but she pushed herself on, "A kind gentelhobbit and his son let me stay in their home.  They also lost someone to the orcs from the raid."

The woman released the bundle that she had on her back on the boards and fell on her knees.  And orc standing by started to come toward her and was about to push her in, when Aubrey stepped in front of her.

"You touch her and you will pay dearly for it," she glared up at the orc and he just snorted and walked back over to his post.  The woman didn't believe what she had just seen, but it didn't seem that big of a deal to the young hobbitlass in front of her.  Aubrey turned back to the woman on the ground and helped her up and put the bag back on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'll be fine . . . what was the name of this hobbit family you stayed with?"

Aubrey looked at the woman and remembered . . . the picture in the hallway, "Lilly Baggins . . ."

Lilly Baggins looked at her confused, "How did you know?"

"Your picture is in the hallway at Bag End.  You are Drogo's mother," Aubrey smiled at her, but decided that the time wasn't the best to give her a hug.

"Drogo!  Is he alright?  How is he doing in his studies?  Is he still as bright and handsome as he once was?"

"Yes he is," Aubrey unloaded the bundle and dropped her head to the wooden planks below her feet.  She wiped a tear from off her face and started to walk back to the rest of the bundles.

After dropping her bundle Lilly ran after her and touched her on the shoulder, "What has happened?"

"There has been a war in Rivendell . . . that is how I was captured.  Drogo fought in it, and I was taken before I could see what the outcome was," she saw the worry grow on Lilly's face, "But I know Drogo.  He would have survived and slaughtered a million orcs by Sting's blade."

"So Frodo gave Drogo Sting as he once hoped he would."

"He thought it wise when Drogo and the others traveled with me to Rivendell."

Lilly watched her as she loaded another bundle on her shoulder and her amulet came out from under her shirt.  Lilly stared at it, "Sorion's jewel . . . that is why they brought you back . . ."

Aubrey smiled nervously and tucked the amulet back I her shirt, "Please don't tell anyone."

"Why?  You might bring more hope to these people that have fought to live this long, especially the elves," she too took another bundle.

"If people found out . . . I don't want to draw attention to myself.  To tell you the truth Mrs. Baggins, I never wanted to be the heir.  I want to go back to the Shire.  Now, I doubt that I ever will see its calming hills again . . . even if Drogo comes for me . . .  I am doomed to stay at Rivendell to rule over my people.  Even when I don't how.  I just want to go back to Bag End and live the rest of my life with Drogo."

"You love my son?"

Aubrey put the bag back down into the next pile on the next platform and turned slowly to Lilly.  She could see a smile grow on her face and didn't feel as tense as she had once felt with her.  Lilly unloaded her bundle and cupped Aubrey's face with her course hands, "And he loves you too, doesn't he?"

Aubrey nodded and gave Lilly a hug, "Event though I may be a princess or a normal hobbitlass, Drogo loves the same."

Lilly Baggins and Aubrey continued working through the day, talking about how Drogo and Frodo had been doing.  The talking helped them through the work.  As long as they talked to one another, Aubrey didn't feel as much pain flow through her body.  As soon as they unloaded the last of the bundles, orcs separated Aubrey from the rest of the group as Lilly was led into the cell chambers where Aubrey had once stayed with Mandy.

Another orc took her back toward her cell and joined up with the orc who was bringing Adrielle back to the same place.  Aubrey gave her a small smile trying to tell her it wasn't all that bad and that she should look up at the bright side.  Even though Aubrey had tried the attempt to try and cheer up her friend, Adrielle kept her head down.  Aubrey wasn't sure if she would ever recover from the pain she had been put through.

They soon got back to the cell and found some straw or hay in the cell for them to sleep on.  Adrielle was the first to dive into one of the boughs of straw and bury her face into the almost comforting pieces of yellow goodness.  Aubrey sat down in her bunch of straw and was wondering if Carond was doing all these things in her cell just to get her to warm up to him.  Aubrey and Adrielle had no problem falling asleep in their new makeshift beds.  In comparison to the hard, cement cell floor, the bunch of straw was like a cloud.

Just before what Aubrey believed to be morning Aubrey was awoken by the squeaking of the cell door opening and the steps of some one going over to where Adrielle was sleeping.  Aubrey opened her eyes and looked at the back of Carond, struggling to get Adrielle out of her bed.

"It is time for your other labor," he hissed at her apparently not trying to wake Aubrey.

"I will never allow you to hurt me again like that!" she pulled away from him trying to stay in the cell.

Aubrey couldn't let him take her to his room, not again.  She has been through enough pain and made possibly the worst decision she could possibly make.  Aubrey got out of her bed and stood in front of the open cell door.  Carond looked at her and pulled Adrielle closer to him, holding a knife at her throat.

"You run, and she dies."

"I will not run, Carond," Aubrey said in a calm voice, "You should know that.  I will never abandon my friends . . . and I will not allow you to take Adrielle out of this room."

"Like you can stop me," he snickered.

"What about a trade?  A deal?  Would you let her alone?" Aubrey said almost out of breath, not really believing what she was doing.

"What kind of deal?" he started to loosen his grip on Adrielle, "What kind of trade?"

"You let her stay and I will go with you," Aubrey said closing her eyes.

"Aubrey no!" Adrielle screamed at her, "NO, let me go!  You still . . . you still have . . ."

"Adrielle, it is not your choice," Aubrey said to her with tears in the back of her voice, but never showing them on her face or in her eyes.

"You would be willing to give yourself for _this_?" he pointed to Adrielle.

"_Adrielle is my friend," Aubrey said sternly, "And yes, for her I would risk nearly everything.  Even my body."_

"Done," he dropped Adrielle and grabbed Aubrey by the wrist.  The orc closed the cell door behind Aubrey and Carond before Adrielle could even get off the floor.  Adrielle ran to the cell door and bars yelling and screaming to be let out.

"Aubrey!  Don't do this!  Princess please!  Think of Drogo!"

Aubrey couldn't help but think of Drogo through this hard time.  But to save her friend, she had to do this.  'I'm sorry, Drogo.  Forgive me.'


	19. No Love

Chapter 19: No Love

Drogo stood at the top of the mountain range past the great bog.  He surveyed the land before him and saw the first place that he had found on the map that may suffice as the place where they had Aubrey and Adrielle.  The castle walls were starting to wear down and it seemed as if the place was about to fall on its own.  The black clouds started to cover the bright sun's rays from sight and the land they stepped on grew dark.  Drogo was almost certain that this was the place that held Aubrey.  Philon stepped next to Drogo and watched as the volcanic smoke rose from what seemed to be within the castle walls.  The others stayed behind them watching from a safe distance as the smoke swirled and took a life of its own as it blocked the sun from view.  All of them backed up against the wall to make sure they were not to be seen if any orcs should start to look their way.

"Drogo, are you sure this is the way?" Kat asked from the back of the group walking with Thomas.

"Nearly sure," Drogo and Philon reached the side of the castle walls, "It looks like the place Aubrey described once before."

"Where are all the orcs?" Thomas asked looking at the sides of the walls, "Shouldn't this place be swarmed with orcs?"

Philon stepped out from the wall and pulled the hobbit back against the wall.  As soon as Thomas looked back at where he was standing he saw a huge orc arrow stuck in the ground.  He looked at Philon and gave him a grateful grin.

"Answer your question, Master Took?" Philon rolled his eyes at the young Took.

"Please call me Thomas," Thomas held out his hand as if he was meeting him for the first time.  Philon dropped him and grabbed his bow.

"We could really use Aubrey's skills at bow right now," Kate said looking at the waterfall of arrows coming over the side of the wall.

"Well, right now you have me," Philon began shooting at the orcs over hanging over the wall trying to target them.  Drogo continued along the wall hoping to find a crack or something in the foundation to crawl through.  At the corner of the wall he found a stream of water running underneath a barred window.  He jumped into the water without even thinking.

"Drogo!  What were you thinking; it is blooming hot out here!  That water could have been boiling!" Kate scolded him.

"Well, it is quite cool actually.  Come on, I think this can lead into the castle," he dove under the water and disappeared from the sights of his friends.

"Should we follow?" Kat looked at the others.

"Well, we should do something," Philon was backing up toward them with every arrow he shot, "I'm running out of good shots and they are getting closer."

"Right then," both Thomas and Faramir jumped into the water and began to follow Drogo under the water.  The girls entered next and Philon shot one of his last arrows and dove in after them.

On the other side of the crack, Adrielle continued to cry as she saw the last of Aubrey disappear around the corner only a minute or so ago.  In a matter of minutes that monster will do the same thing he did to her to Aubrey.  Adrielle hit the cell floor blaming herself for putting the princess in that situation, she just should have kept her mouth shut and let the princess sleep through it and never mention it.

She crawled over to the crack with the flowing water and started to splash her face with the clean water.  She let the water soak on her face and let the dirt slide off.  The remaining water that was in her hands fell through her fingers.  She began to walk back toward where she was sitting when a bunch of bubbles in the water caught her attention.  She watched with curiosity.  In the few days that she was in the cell she never saw bubbles like these in the water's surface.  In a matter of seconds the bubbles turned into a person exploding from beneath the water's surface.

"Drogo?" Adrielle pulled the hobbit from the water and into the cell, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not the only one," Drogo coughed out the water that was still lodged in his throat, "Where is Aubrey?"

"Carond took her," Adrielle said pointing out the cell bars, "I couldn't stop him from taking her Drogo.  The orc is guarding the door and I can't go and find her.  I can't stop him.  He will . . . he will . . ."

"What?  What will he do to her?" Drogo grabbed her shoulders and started to shake her a little.

"What he did to me . . . he will try to rape her, Drogo."

Drogo's face fell as the others broke through the water and started to climb out of the small water hole.  Adrielle took his hands in hers, "I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen.  She went with him to keep him from taking me again."

Drogo's face was filled with anger and ran to the bars of the cell, "Hey orc!"

The orc guarding the cell looked in on him and wondered how he got in there.

"You have an intruder, what are you going to do about it?"

The orc opened the door and rushed in at Drogo.  Drogo jumped and hit him in the jaw.  The orc fell to the floor and Drogo held his blade up to its throat, "Where is Carond's room?"

"It is up the stairs down the hall, Drogo," Adrielle said from behind, "Hurry, please hurry."

Drogo sliced the orc's neck into two different pieces and tore off down the floor of the cell barricade.  Adrielle let her head drop, praying that Drogo would get there in time.  The group of hobbits was still looking at the pool of water, waiting for something else to come out of it.  Adrielle wondered what they were waiting for and stepped over next to Thomas.  From underneath the water another face began to take shape and Philon gasped for air as he reached the surface.

"Philon!" Adrielle screamed and pulled him out of the water.  He climbed on the cement floor and coughed whatever he needed to out.  He looked up at the person who dragged him out of the water and his face began to glow with happiness.

"Adrielle," he grabbed her in his arms and held her close.  He placed his head on her shoulder and took a big intake of breath of her smell.  He felt her silk hair and let her grab on to him.

After a few seconds she started to push away from him.  Philon loosened his grip and let her slide away from him.  He didn't understand what was happening at all.  He was so relieved to see her, but now all of a sudden she wasn't at all happy to see him in return.

"Philon . . . I don't deserve you," Adrielle said softly.

"What are you saying, Adrielle?  I love you," he took her hand and she retracted it immediately.

"I tried, believe me I did. . .  but I . . . I couldn't stop him."

"What are you saying?"

"I wasn't faithful!  I was taken advantage of and . . . and I don't deserve you!" she began crying into her hands.  Her shoulders began shaking as she tried to gasp for breath.

"Who?  Who did that to you?"

"Carond, who else would do that?" Thomas said bitterly.

"Adrielle," he tipped her face up, "You are still faithful . . . It wasn't your choice.  And I still love you."

Adrielle looked at him with such awe.  He still loved her even after what she had told him.

"I will kill Carond for this," Philon stated, taking Adrielle back in his arms.

"Get in line.  But I think that Drogo has the first whack at him," Faramir said, "Now what do we do?"

"As soon as Drogo gets back with Aubrey we get back to Rivendell," Philon said smoothing Adrielle's hair down.

"What about all the others?" Kate said stepping forward.

"Others?"

"Aubrey had said that there were other girls and women captured here and were forced to do hard labor.  We need to free them."

"We don't have enough people to take down that many orcs," Philon said.

Thomas thought for a moment, "Maybe not now . . . but when we free the prisoners, I bet they would be dying for some pay back."

Philon and the others looked at each other and nodded.

"Well, let's get going then," Faramir said.

"I'll lead the way," Adrielle said in a little voice standing up and taking the keys from the dead orc on the ground, "I know where the others are."

***

Aubrey was thrown into the conference room and stumbled a little until she grabbed hold of the huge table in the middle of the room.  Carond poked his head out the door and ordered a couple of his best orc guards around the room.  After a few seconds he poked his head back in and closed the door gently so it would not make that much of a sound.

He locks the doors and walks slowly over to where Aubrey was leaning on the table where she sat only a few hours prior.  He walked around her and Aubrey could feel his eyes scan her from top to bottom.  He grabbed her around the waist and began to kiss her on the shoulder blades and neck.  Her whole body stiffened and she felt the huge urge to cry uncontrollably.  Aubrey now understood why Adrielle didn't think that she could face Philon.  She was giving nearly everything to this person whom she did not love.

Aubrey closed her eyes and tried to think that she was far away from where she was . . . far away from this nightmare.  She imagined she was back in the Shire, untouchable and away from Carond.  She was sitting on top of one of the hills sitting in a mass of the softest grass.  She was wrapped in Drogo's arms, and she felt herself fall back into him, watching his smile spread across his face.  He looked down at her and put one of the most beautiful flowers in her hair.  She leaned up and kissed him on the tip of his nose, one of the signs of affection they used for one another.

Aubrey slowly opened her eyes and slipped back into horrible reality.  Carond picked her up in his arms and laid her down on the huge canopy bed that was in the room.  He leaned over her and started to remove her clothing and his shirt.  Aubrey thanked God that there was such a thing as under garments in this world and especially thanked Arwen and Adrielle for drilling the countless pieces that should go under each outfit into her brain.  He leaned over her and started to whisper in her ear.

"Tell me you love me," he started to stroke the side of her bruised face.

Aubrey's eyes stayed focused on the wall facing away from him.  She refused to say those words to someone that it meant nothing to.  She refused to say the words to anyone else but Drogo who she was praying was just outside the castle gates.

"Tell me," he said more forcefully turning her face to face his.

"I told you when you dragged me from the cell that I would risk my body for a friend . . . not my heart.  I will never break.  I love Drogo . . . not you."

"You must say it . . .or I'll-"

"What?  Rape me?  You are on the verge of doing so anyway," Aubrey said leaning toward him.  He glared at her and turned to the other wall.

"By the end of this, you will say those words," he said turning back to her.  He started to undo his pants when an orc began pounding on the door, "I told you never to disturb me!"

"My Lord Carond!  Intruder!"

"Then take care of them!" Carond shouted at the double doors.

"We can't he is at the foot of the stairs!"

Carond's face turned to victory after a short thought and turned to Aubrey, "As soon as I take care of your boyfriend . . . we will continue," he kissed her hard on the mouth and ran to the door.

As soon as she could Aubrey spit as much of the crude flavor of his lips and tongue out of her mouth, but couldn't get all of it out.  She sat at the side of the bed and hunched over the side.  She let whatever was left in her stomach let lose and the spit fall from her mouth.  She had rather savor the vomit filling her mouth then his foul taste.  She pushed herself off the bed.  If that truly was Drogo she had to help him.

From the side of the room she heard a scratching noise and looked underneath a table to find Lilly Baggins signaling for her to run to her.  She walked over to the small table and looked at her, trying to redo the buttons on her shirt.

"Mrs. Baggins . . . how?"

"Drogo is here with his cousins and Faramir," she said simply, "But from the looks of it I came just in time to save you from a perverted elf.  Come on."

"What about Drogo?  He is right outside the door," she said frantically pointing to the door.

"So is Carond," Lilly reminded her and started to pull her toward the escape, "And with all we know he might just push you back in here and then lock the door.  By the time we have time to come and get you it might be too late."

Aubrey hesitantly nodded and followed her, but her shirt collar must have got caught on something.  She pulled with all her might and felt the material rip from around her neck.  She continued to follow Lilly down the crawl space closing the small door behind her.  Not daring to look back at that horrible room where her dream could and would have been shattered if not for Drogo and the others.  They crawled in the small crawl space for more then Aubrey could tell.  As they crawled Aubrey couldn't help but notice the burning sensation on her knees and the palm of her hands.  Lilly noticed her remarks about the heat and tried to explain, "We are pretty close to the fire pit now.  Some girls who tried to escape before built it along the wall.  They were killed before they ever had a chance to use it."

"They built it through Carond's room?"

"Carond was not living here when they built it.   He was still believed to be negotiating in the forests and living in Rivendell."

When they finally reached the end, Aubrey saw the ground was full of dead orcs and living girls.  She looked all around and found Kate helping one of the girls by cleaning her bandages.  Kate looked up and smiled we she saw Aubrey standing next to Lilly.  She ran over to her and gave her a huge hug.  Aubrey squinted a little still sore from the abuse that she had sustained thus far.  Kate let go and held her softly by the arms, "Aubrey . . . what have they done to you?"

"Just about everything you could throw at a person to destroy them."

Kate gave her a grave look, but Aubrey shook her head telling her that it never happened.  Aubrey looked around the room and found everyone else . . . except . . .

"Where is Drogo?"

"He went to find you . . . to save you.  Mrs. Baggins then went through the passage just in case you needed it.  Always have a backup plan, as you used to tell me."

"Then he is still . . . I need to go," she started to run from the room.

"Aubrey, you have no weapon, you can be killed!"

"Let them try and kill me," she started to run again until she heard another voice from behind call out her name.

"Philon . . . I didn't know that you came."

Philon handed her his bow and arrows from his back, "Here."

"But you need-"

"I have my sword," he gave her a quick hug around the neck, "Thank you so much."  He back away watching the expression on Aubrey's face, "You risked possibly the most sacred thing anyone possibly could so that Adrielle would not have to suffer another night."

"Philon . . . Adrielle would have and possibly did the same for me.  I could not let her suffer in his hands.  Not again."

He smiled and looked past her as he heard an orc yell from far off, "It sounds as if you are missing the fun.  Don't let Drogo steal all of it."

Aubrey smiled back at him and took down the hall and out the door.  She raced across the bridges and never really noticed the burning sensation underneath her feet.  As she ran she tried to secure the bow and quiver of arrows on her back.  Orcs began to yell from their posts on top of the wall and began shooting at her.  She grabbed the bow and an arrow from her back and began shooting back at them.  Her shot was terribly off her targets, but she did manage to take out a few who were there.

She finally made it to the building where she was in only a few moments ago.  As she made her way through the halls she heard a body hit the floor and ran around the corner that she lead her to Carond's room.  She strung an arrow ready to fight, but when she had made it right out side the room, there was no more enemy to fight.  Drogo stood above the orc's bodies panting and looking at the door with a painful look on his face.

He stumbled to the door and began to pound on its surface.  Aubrey put her bow back behind her and walked slowly up to Drogo.  She could see his tears stream down his face and stopped in her tracks.  She started to breathe hard; she had never wanted to hold him more in her whole life then that one moment.  Then without a second thought she whispered softly to herself, "Drogo . . ."

Drogo stopped his crying and just looked down at the ground.  He couldn't have heard what he had thought.  She couldn't have been outside the room; she was still stuck in there with Carond, where he couldn't reach her.  Then a second calling of his name was said this time ringing through the hall.

"Drogo!"

He looked up to see Aubrey running toward him.  A number of arrows were on her back with the bow just over them.  Her eyes were filled with tears and her clothes were torn and looked like she had dressed hastily.  He pushed himself up and dropped Sting out of his hand.  As she reached him she dropped the arrows and the bow from off her back and jumped into Drogo's arms.

He held her close, enclosing her in the tightest grip he could muster.  Her head pushed into his chest and he could feel her tears starting to soak the front of his shirt.  He wrapped his arms around her body, one around her waist and the other went through her hair, bringing her head closer to him.  He placed his head on the top of hers and kissed the top of it.

Aubrey smiled through her tears of happiness.  She couldn't believe that after the day, maybe two, of torture here was Drogo in her arms.  He had come for her as she had prayed that he had.  She was no longer dreaming, he was there.  He was real to touch and to love and to kiss.

She bent her head up to see his beautiful blue eyes and saw them full of tears.  She cupped his face in her hands, leaned up to his face and kissed him.  The kiss radiated through out both of their bodies and they couldn't find a better experience or moment in time then the one that they were having at that moment.  They were back together and that was all that mattered.  He brought the hand that was in her hair to cup her face as they broke the kiss.  He rubbed her cheek with his thumb, also rubbing off the tears of joy streaming from her eyes and smiled.

"I thought you were still in there," he said motioning to the door, "I thought that I was too late.  That I . . ."

"You are always good about getting to places on time," she smiled, kind of joking, "But I did have some help."

"From who?  Let me guess, Kat and Kate, right?"

"Not exactly," at that moment the others had caught up to Aubrey in the hall with Mrs. Baggins in tow, "Drogo . . . I found your mom."

"My mother . . ."

Lilly stepped out from behind the rest of the group, slowly at first but by the time she reached the end of the group she ran to greet her son with open arms.

"Oh my . . . Drogo," she held him away from her to look at him, "You've grown so much.  I've missed you and your father so much."

"Mother . . ." Drogo was still in shock, but after he looked into the eyes of the woman before him he saw his own staring back at him.  He grabbed her in a hug and started to laugh because he couldn't keep the joy in any longer.  He held her as close as he had Aubrey a few moments ago.

"Mrs. Baggins," Aubrey said approaching her after she had the last hug with Drogo, "Thank you so much for helping me."

"Well, I couldn't let the only girl my son loves be assaulted by that bastard," Lilly said putting her hands on her hips.  Drogo was surprised by his mother's language and it showed on his face, "Oh, come now Drogo.  I had to pick up some kind of edge working in a place like this."

Philon ran into the hall, disturbing the moment, "Princess Aubrey!  Carond is at the fire pit and it's strange he is holding a black light in his hand."

"What?" Drogo asked, "That can't be he ran into the room as soon as I killed off his orc body guards."

They all broke through the door only to find the window facing the fire pit was broken out.  Aubrey thought to herself, 'Black light . . . what is that black light?'  She felt around her neck to realize that her amulet was gone.  It no longer stood in the place that it had once been.  She thought back to when she first went through the tunnel to escape to the other cells; the neck of her shirt got caught on something.  Maybe when the material broke it had taken the amulet with it.

"No . . ." Aubrey whispered as she patted her chest where the amulet was supposed to be, "Carond has the amulet."

"What?" Drogo turned to her, "How?"

"It got snagged.  I never noticed. . ." her eyes grew huge, "It's entirely my fault."

"Aubrey, don't jump to conclusions," Drogo started to try and calm her down.

Aubrey shook her head and ran into the hall.  She picked up the bow and arrows that were on the floor and ran out toward the fire pit.

There in the middle of all the mayhem, Carond stood holding the amulet above his head.  A black light beamed out from it and started to flash around the area, "It is time that the Dark Lord walked among us once again.  Let him rise from the ashes of Middle Earth and once again rule over all!"  Carond pointed the jewel downward and into the fire.  The black beam started to boil in the already magma hot pit.

Aubrey stared at him with horror, "NO!"


	20. True Power of Love

Chapter 20: True Power of Love

"STOP!" Aubrey screamed from her viewpoint.  The others joined Aubrey out on the long landing that held them above the pit.  The black beam stopped and Carond looked at the amulet with surprise as if he thought it would do more.  He shook the jewel to get it to start again and reminded Aubrey of a man trying to get his control to work for their television.  He looked over at the platform and noticed Aubrey standing with the others.  Aubrey turned to the others, "I have to get it back.  If he throws it into the pit, all hell will break loose . . . literally."

Philon grabs the bow off Aubrey's back and strung an arrow.

"Philon, what are you doing?" Aubrey asked looking at him.

"Getting the amulet out of his hands."

"It will fall into the pit," she said grasping his hands.

He turned to face her, "Not if you move fast enough."

Aubrey got the point and took off running toward the platform.  Philon started to focus on Carond's hands and the position of the amulet.  Aubrey's legs burned with the pain of both the flames and the pain of the torture she had already gone through.  She pushed herself hard, as she looked behind her every once in a while to check how far Philon was to shooting.  Aubrey was glad he was going to take the shot.  He had far more training then she had and probably had a better chance of making the shot.

Aubrey reached the platform below Carond and watched him from beneath the boards.  She saw Carond start to smirk at what he considered a lame attempt by the group for the elf boy to shoot him.  He held the jewel toward the group and Aubrey's eyes grew wide open, 'No!'

Carond held the jewel tighter and started yet again to shake the amulet in his hands, pushing the item further toward the group, "What is wrong with this?  It was following my thoughts before."

Aubrey thought for a second and then remembered back in the torture chamber when she wanted out so badly and it followed her thoughts and got the orc away from her.  When she was crawling away from the room and was caught she wanted whatever was stuck to tear so she could just get away.  Then when she stepped out on the platform she yelled stop and the black beam stopped radiating into the pool of magma.  The amulet was still obeying her over another that holds it.

She heard the sound of the arrow being released from the bow and looked up wondering how she could have that good of hearing.  The arrow caught speed as it flowed through the hot air above the fires below.  The arrow hit the amulet right on and it jumped out of Carond's hands.  Aubrey jumped up and caught the jewel in her hands, "Got it!"

On the other platform, the group patted Philon on the back.

"Good shot," Drogo commented looking for Aubrey.

"What are you talking about?" Philon looked at him, "I missed Carond completely."

They both looked at each other and let sly smiles spread on their faces.  Drogo looked back over the other platforms and saw Aubrey starting to run toward them again with something clung tightly in her hand.  Right behind her was Carond of course, trying to catch up and have another opportunity to capture the jewel once again.

Drogo watched from far off, ready to go to her rescue if she needed it.  Philon strung another arrow ready to fire at Carond if he tried anything, "Say the word Drogo and I'll let it fly."

Before Drogo said the sweet words that were at the tip of his tongue orc arrows began to shower upon them.  They looked up and saw the last of the orcs showering the arrows upon the small group.  They started to run back inside the shelter of the castle.

Thomas sprinted beside his twin cousins, "I thought that the other girls were fighting."

"They were," Kat said turning to him, "But when they were freed they ran out of the castle and I suppose that they are half way to where ever they were going."

"Well, there goes our army," Thomas said as he face fell.

Drogo looked over his shoulder and saw Aubrey jump over some stairs on the platform to a lower one.  As she landed the old wood below her broke and she fell through.  Drogo watched as Carond was not far behind her and started to run toward her.

"Drogo!" Faramir called from behind him, "What are you doing?"

"Aubrey fell, I got to help her!" he jumped and dodged as two arrows flew at him at one time.  Before Faramir could react, Adrielle ran out after him.  Philon started to step forward, but was held back by Kat.

"You'll just be another huge target in a cluster trying to help her."

He nodded and watched both Drogo and Adrielle dodge as many arrows as they could from the orcs above them.  He stepped outside the door, careful not to be seen and looked up at the side of the wall.  There was a higher window that he could hit the orcs without difficulty.  He took off from the doorway and ran down the hall and toward some stairs that he saw earlier running into the hall.  Faramir followed him as the others watched helplessly as their friends were in danger running through the barrage of arrows.

Aubrey held the wood above her with one hand and had her elbow secure her on the top of the wood.  She couldn't use the hand without letting go of the amulet and she was not letting go of it for anything in the world.  She kicked her feet as she felt the bottom of her feet burning and tried to keep the painful cries in her throat.  The arrows shooting through the air were getting closer to her until one was only an inch away from her.

She fumbled her grip and the hand that was above the wood slipped and grabbed the edge.  The amulet started to fall toward the fire, but Aubrey grabbed the broken gold chain between the wood and her thumb.  She struggled and closed her eyes thinking that the next arrow would defiantly hit her.  When the arrow never came she looked up and saw one of the orcs closest to her on the wall slumped over the wall and eventually slide off into the pit of fire below it.  Aubrey looked over at the hall that she came from and saw elf arrows flying out of the window.  'Philon,' she thought with a smile.

She began to kick harder trying to push herself up on the platform.  Her palms her getting sweaty and she felt herself beginning to slip.  She let out a little gasp as her hand opposite holding the amulet slipped off, but she replaced it as fast as she could.  She felt a small relief of heat from a shadow over coming her.  She looked up slowly as she already knew who was standing over her.  Carond bent down fast and held her by the hair and looked her in the eyes.

"You should have given yourself to me . . . you could be up here enjoying the pleasures of winning.  Instead you are a few seconds from falling to your death."

Aubrey gritted her teeth against the pain from her hair, "At least death would be considered heaven compared to giving myself to you, Carond.  Just like you to know that you are the worst kisser I have ever known."  She looked at him with a disgusted look.

He looked at her with an incredulous look, "Even when I have your life in the palm of my hand you still mock me."

"It seems to me that is all you are good for, Carond," Aubrey said trying to regain her grip on the wood.

"Well, it seems to me that it is time for you to die," he let go of her hair and stood up in front of her.  He brought his foot back ready to kick her into the pit.   Aubrey waited for the blow of the kick.

Faramir and Philon watched from the tower with horror as Philon tried to match up the shot.  He struggled with the arrow as his arm was starting to weaken.  Plus the fact that this was one of his last two arrows that he brought with him didn't help him concentrate.  He brought the bow with defeat written in his face.

"They are too far away.  I cannot get a clear shot at him," he said turning back to an orc that was ready to shoot at one of the running forms.  The orc was in the fire in a matter of two seconds.

"Say goodbye, Princess," Carond opened his eyes wide as he prepared for the final strike.  Aubrey never felt the kick as she saw Drogo jump over her and knock Carond to the surface of the platform.  Drogo looked up at Aubrey and tried to get up to help, but Carond pulled him back, "Stupid hobbit, always getting in my way!"

Carond stood over him and began to kick him in the stomach.  Drogo looked away from Carond and toward Aubrey.  Her left hand slipped and she tried to hang on to the wood and the amulet at the same time.  She looked Drogo in the eyes and tried to get him to run.  To get back from the castle . . . as far away as he could.  Then he would be somewhat safe.  Carond bent down and took a bunch of Drogo's hair in his hand.

"Now watch this," he whispered in his ear, "She will fall to her death just because she wouldn't cooperate.  Just because she wouldn't give up on you . . . on your love.  She will die."

Drogo looked at her and tried to put his hand out to reach for her, but they both knew he wouldn't be able to reach her.  Carond stepped his leg over Drogo and stepped on his hand.  He squinted slightly, but tried to keep his eyes open.  Aubrey looked down at the red fire pit and remembered the first time she saw the flames coming toward her.  This time a giant eagle won't save her . . . this time she would hit the flames like Mandy did so long ago.

As she felt her grip slip away from her she let go and saw the amulet fall toward her face.  She caught it in her mouth although she didn't see how much of a difference it would make.  Drogo watched as her hand slipped from out of view, "Aubrey!"

As Aubrey fell she took the amulet from her mouth and tried to clasp it back around her neck.  After she found that it could still be clasped she looked back up at the platform she was hanging on just a few seconds ago.  And below her nothing but hot flames.  She held her hands out as if by some miracle she was going to fly or a cloud would come down from the sky to catch her.  'Please let something interfere in letting this world be destroyed.'

As soon as she closed her eyes she felt a jerk and a stop, as her arm seemed to be caught on something.  She kept looking down at the flames until she looked up and clasped her other hand around the hand that was holding hers.  Adrielle smiled back at her, 'That will work.'

"Need a hand there, Aubrey?"

"More than ever," she smiled back and tried to help in the process of getting her back up on a platform.  She breathed hard as she looked at Adrielle, "How did you catch me?"

"I stayed behind Drogo and saw where you might fall.  I doubted that Carond would sit there and just watch me pull you up, now would he?"

"I guess not," at the mention of his name Aubrey remembered that Drogo was still up there with him.  She ran to the railing where Adrielle pulled her from her fall and looked up at the platform.  She could see Drogo up against the railing kicking at the form of Carond and jumping to the other side.

"I need to get back up there," Aubrey turned to Adrielle.

"Follow me," they both took off running up the stairs of the platforms.  As soon as they reached the top Aubrey saw both of the men kick and hit each other.

"Hey!  Carond!" Aubrey threw one of the pieces of wood at his head, "Aren't I the one you want?  Come and get me!"

Both of the men looked at her and Drogo could hardly believe his eyes.  Carond threw him to the side, "Don't you ever just die?"

"My parents and friends won't allow that," Aubrey said holding up the jewel with a smirk on her face.  Adrielle stepped up the stairs behind her and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I am so tired of your medalling," Carond started to run toward her.

"Adrielle, run back to the others I'll be fine.  I have to help Drogo," Adrielle followed the instructions and began to run.

"After the Dark Lord comes again, do you really think that you can save them all?" Carond gave her a confident smirk, "All of you will be the first to go."

"Who says we're going anywhere, Carond?" Aubrey still held the jewel in her hand, "I still have the amulet."

"As soon as I get the jewel back, I will bring him back.  I will be by his side and he will give me more power then ever imaginable."

"Not if I destroy it first," Aubrey let the jewel fall on her chest.

"Destroy it?  That would only help my cause."

"Only if I drop it in the fire Carond.  If I use it my way . . . well, you won't be anywhere near power."

"Are you willing to destroy the only link you share with your parents?"

Aubrey stopped and looked up at him, "I'm willing to give everything to keep my promise to others.  To this world."

"Then do it, if you are so sure," he started to laugh, "Do it and see that all you will cause is the end to Middle Earth.  And more then likely your life."

Aubrey looked at the amulet in her hand and focused hard staring into it, "You're right about one thing . . ." she looked Carond in the eyes, "It will probably take my life."

Drogo looked straight at her hanging on to the railing, "Aubrey . . ."

She looked past Carond and looked straight at Drogo, "This is the only way."

"So how are you going to do it then?" Carond kept taunting her.

"Do you ever listen to the stars, Carond?"

"Listen to the stars?  Are you mad?"

"No, I'm perfectly sane.  My father once told me to listen to the stars, moon and clouds.  If you listened to them they would tell you stories and things you never knew possible.  And one night . . . they told me the story of today."

"What are you talking about?"

"I will bring peace to this world, but in the process . . . the Princess will be gone."

"You are a fool!"

"We'll see who is the fool," she closed her eyes and began to chant in an elvish based language that echoed across the pit.  She let her love for the land flow through her body and into the amulet lying on her chest.  After a few seconds the jewel began to glow a bright blue underneath the gold roots.  Her voice began to grow louder and louder soon; everyone in the castle could hear her voice.

Her eyes opened to show the light of the jewel shine through her.  Carond began to step toward her, but was blown back by a magnificent force.  He flew back against the wooden railing of the platform.  Drogo watched as he tried to hang on and looked at Aubrey.

"There has to be a different way, Aubrey!"

Drogo . . . they will only come after it again and again.  My parents understand and I will see them again soon.  They only option is to destroy it and bring peace back to the land.

Don't leave me! he extended his hand out to her and reached.

Her face seemed to be struggling with in, Please Drogo, I can only hold on for so long.  Don't make me lose my concentration.  My love for you and the land can't interfere.

Drogo began taking steps toward her and reached her with great difficulty.  He grabbed a hold of her and looked her in the eyes which were going back and forth from the light blue color of the jewel and her own green ones, If it feeds off your emotions . . . and it is feeding off your love . . . Then let it feed off of our love.  You know it is stronger then anything else in this or any other world.

Drogo . . . Aubrey's eyes faded into her green ones and Drogo saw the true Aubrey.

I will not lose you, Aubrey.  I love you, he cupped her face and kissed her on the lips.  He held onto her as long as he could and felt the jewel start to drain the power that was flowing through his body.

Both of them were growing weaker by each moment and after a few minutes he couldn't hold on any longer.  Both of them opened their eyes to look at each other for what they knew would be the last time.  I love you, they proclaimed one last time.

A great bright light silenced all sounds around the castle and spread through out Mordor.  The light settled on the ground and for the first time in Mordor's history flowers and grass began to grow on the once barren land.  The small group of hobbits and two elves watched as the world around them began to bloom and the volcanic rock harden underneath the platforms.  They looked out of the wooden planks and saw the light start to fade and the last of the energy disappear.

They all set out and began to run toward the platform.  Once they reached it, they couldn't find Drogo or Aubrey.  Faramir looked over the edge of the platform thinking they might have fallen over, but saw nothing.  Philon looked at the broken pieces of wood that once served as railing and over the edge he saw a small peach colored figure in the died magma below them, "I think I see something!"

They all ran down to the bottom and saw a hand sticking out from the cooled magma.  On it's right ring finger they saw the ring with the Carond shield printed on it.  Carond had fallen off from the high winds and power radiating from the power of the jewel.  The wood behind him broke and he fell into the boiling river, and then was trapped as it cooled all around him.

The group searched the hard surface for any sign of their friends, but no luck after an hour of searching.  They all began to walk back up to the castle to walk back to Rivendell, but Faramir decided to stay behind for just a second.  He looked up at the platform where they were standing and noticed the other platform underneath it.  He fit a perplexed look upon his face and ran up the stairs flying past the others.  The others looked at one another and followed Faramir without another thought.

On the platform below the one where they had brought the light back to Mordor both Aubrey and Drogo were found unconscious holding one another's hand.  Philon looked at Faramir, "How did you know?"

"I just felt like they were there . . ." Faramir looked down at them, "Let's get them back to Rivendell.  They could be seriously hurt."


	21. Recuperating

Chapter 21: Recuperating

Since the great battle, the main building in Rivendell has been used as a hospital and nearly everywhere you could see an elf or two trying to sneak out of bed and walk around.  Most of the soldiers were in fact healed and wanted to get out of their beds, but few still had serious injuries and were pushed back into their beds.  In the far room of the building held two beds filled with the only two unconscious forms in all of Rivendell.

In the corner by one of the beds stood five hobbits talking and hoping for the best for their two friends, and one of the hobbits worrying about her son.  Sitting beside one of their beds was a woman elf with two others on either one of her sides.  She looked over the hobbitlass's sleeping form.

"They say she should be able to pull through it," Arwen said brushing back her hair that fell in her face.

"How long will she stay asleep like this, Arwen?" Adrielle asked touching her shoulder.

"I don't know.  It could be a while yet," she stood up and looked down at the jewel that laid on the girl's chest.  The jewel was now cracked in many places and the gold binding no longer looked like roots, but more like a melting mass of gold on either side of the jewel.

"She risked everything, Arwen.  She deserves a life she chooses," Philon looked down at her.

"And a choice she shall have," Arwen turned her head toward them, "I will explain the circumstances later to you both.  You two must go and tend to the others in the halls and I will stay with them both."

"What about the other hobbits, what are we to tell them?" Philon asked her starting to walk to the door.

"Take them with you and tell them all we know.  Hope will shine brighter in their eyes then in mine."

Philon and Adrielle nodded and walked over to the group of hobbits situated next to Drogo's bed.  They whispered a few words and the group was lead out of the room, leaving Arwen alone in the room with Aubrey in front of her.  She walked around the bed and walked over to Drogo's bed to see how he was fairing in his unconscious state.  She checked on the injures that he had gotten from his fight with Carond and saw if they made any process from the night before.

Aubrey started to come to as she shifted her head from side to side and squinted her closed eyes.  She groaned a few times and alerted Arwen to her side.  The woman elf was surprised that she was waking up so soon and wondered how this hobbitlass can pull through nearly everything thrown at her, "Aubrey?  Aubrey can you hear me?"

"Just five more minutes, Adrielle . . . Don't open the curtains yet . . . We can skip the glitter today, can't we?" Aubrey waved her hand in front of her face and turned on her side.  She pulled the covers over her shoulder and buried her head deeper into the pillow.

Arwen looked at her with a little pathetic look on her face and shook her head in an amused fashion.  Arwen bent to Aubrey's side and started to shake her lightly out of her sleep, "Aubrey, wake up."

"Just five minutes is all I ask.  Is that too much to ask?" Aubrey opened one of her eyes and looked at the person rudely awakening her from her sleep and turned over from facing the wall.  Once she spotted Arwen she tried to sit up straight, but after she tried it she found it quite difficult not to mention painful.  Arwen pushed her back into the bed and let her lay in the bed.

"Morning Aubrey," Arwen smiled with a sympathetic look on her face, "How are you feeling?"

"Like everything in my body is about to explode or has already," Aubrey rubbed her stomach to try and release the pain that she experienced by trying to sit up at the sight of Arwen.

"You are sore, and I don't doubt it.  You used the power of the amulet, using it all up," Arwen picked up the ruined amulet and showed Aubrey, "By all accounts both you and Drogo should be dead."

"Where is Drogo?!" Aubrey's eyes grew with worry.

"He is fine," Arwen said in a reassuring tone and kept her from hurting herself by keeping her shoulders down in the bed, "He is still unconscious, but should be fine."

Aubrey let out a sigh of relief and looked in Arwen's eyes, "What exactly happened?  When I used the power. . ."

"All the magic that was in the amulet; that was stored in the amulet was used.  When it fed off of your love it turned into the energy and cooled the magma that fueled the fire pits.  Then it spread all over the land of Mordor and restored the barren land so that it is now in bloom with flowers, trees and grass.  You did all that, Aubrey with the power and energy flowing through both you and Drogo . . . I would think that with all that power coursing through both of you, you would have both burnt out. . . died.  But my best guess is that with both of you inputting your energy and emotions it didn't kill one of you, but knocked both of you out."

"What about the girls?"

"The girls?"

"The girls that were captured and changed, like me . . . What happened to them, they had no where to go."

"When the power spread, they were transported back to your world, like they were never missing."

"But wouldn't that mean that I . . ."

"No, not necessarily.  You once told me that you had chosen what you were, didn't you?"

"Yes . . . I did actually.  When I think back on it, I felt an energy flow through me and I knew that I couldn't go back, even if I wanted to."

"There is your answer.  The amulet didn't take you back because you were not a human.  You didn't have the will, and you didn't have anything or anyone there that you wanted as much as you had here.  Even though the other girls were changed, they were not truly the creatures they had the forms of.  They were still human and wanted to go home."

"I know how they feel," Aubrey looked at the amulet and stoked the cracked jewel in the center.  Arwen watched her face and knew what she was thinking.

"Aubrey, when you decided or chose who you were, what did you say?"

"I said to myself that I have chosen to be now and forever a hobbitlass in the Shire.  Why?"

"Well, that would mean that that was all that you were, wouldn't it?" she gave Aubrey a smile, but Aubrey still didn't know what she was getting at, "You didn't choose to be a princess . . . which means that you were only princess by the power of the jewel . . . and now that the power is gone . . ."

"You mean, I can go back to the Shire?  To Hobbiton?" A great smiled spread across her face as Arwen nodded her head at her.  She couldn't believe it, she was free to go and live where she wanted.  Free to go back with Drogo and the others and see the Shire again.  See Frodo and the other hobbits again . . . but that also meant that . . .

"Arwen, wouldn't that mean that you would have to stay and rule here, keeping you from your husband?  I couldn't ask you to do that."

"There is another part to this, Aubrey.  The elves of Rivendell have decided to leave for the Undying Lands.  You were right when you said that there was nearly nowhere for the elves to go.  The age of man is growing and they are becoming dominant, which means even with our immortal lives, we would not really be able to live.  Even if you were still in power, you would still have to go to the Shire."

"So they are all leaving Rivendell?  Forever?"

"The elves here are leaving as soon as the wounded are healed well enough to travel.  And so are you," Arwen smiled, "I was right.  You were a great leader.  Even though your reign was the smallest ever known to elf kind, you showed these people more courage than they have seen in a long time."

"I thought that this was their home."

"It is, but sometimes you have to leave your home behind to make a new one somewhere else, with someone else . . . don't you?"

Aubrey remembered that she had to leave her home in her old world behind- maybe not intentionally- to make a new home in this world.  And now, she wouldn't give it up for anything.

"Thank you, Arwen."

"For what?"

"Believing in me.  I don't think I could have had the courage to even address the people without you backing me.  Thank you so much."

"Well, now you don't have to worry about it, do you?"

"No, I don't.  Now I have to find a way home."

"And a way to get your gentelhobbit out of his sleeping state."

"Leave all of that up to me, Arwen.  I will find a way, but let him sleep for a while longer.  With almost being killed time and time again, I think that he deserves it."

"I would say so," Arwen started to walk out of the room.

"When are you heading back to Gondor?"

"As soon as the last of the elves leave from Rivendell," she opened the door and closed it softly after her.

Aubrey looked at the bed on the other side of the room and its occupant silently breathing in breath after breath.  She held on to her pillow and looked down at the amulet that was lying on the white material of the bed.  She knew that she wouldn't feel the warmth that the amulet gave her when she knew her parents were thinking of her, but she knew that one day they would be together again.  And she could still hear them in the soft stories told by the stars.  She will always know that they were still thinking of her and protecting her, even without the amulet.

***

In the middle of the night Aubrey stirred from her sleep and shot her eyes open realizing that she had fallen asleep again while watching Drogo.  She wanted to stay up as long as she could so she could watch him wake up and help him if he needed her.  She wiped the sleep out of her eyes and for the first time since Arwen was by her bedside tried to sit up.  She pushed up from her bed and felt the slight pressure on her muscles to go back into the bed, but kept pushing until she was sitting straight up.  She grabbed the side of the bed and swung her legs gently over the side.

She looked down at the ground to focus away from the pain in her muscles.  She kept reminding herself that the pain wasn't as bad as it was when she originally tried.  She placed her feet on the cold ground and tried to apply her weight so she could walk, but almost collapsed.

"Ok . . . maybe that is going a little too fast," Aubrey said placing herself back on her bed.  She looked at her amulet and held it in her hand.  The cracks and splits in the jewel caught the reflection of the moonlight coming into the room and it looked like silver streams on a blue tinted world.  'A sliver lining,' Aubrey smiled at it and let it fall back on her chest.

Aubrey looked over at Drogo's bed, but didn't see his form sleeping in it.  Aubrey panicked and nearly jumped from her bed.  She fell flat on her face gritting her teeth against the pain in her nose and stomach.  She looked up again and tried to push off the cold floor.  Her dress that was put on her for recovery went only down to her knees and her legs were cold by the constant contact with the floor below her.  She pushed herself up to the point where she was on all fours and she looked up at the empty bed where Drogo was.  She started to crawl, but it hurt even more then the first time she tried to move.  She placed her hand on her knee and put almost all her weight on that one knee.  She pushed and strained her muscles to listen to her brain as she struggled to get up.  She finally reached the point of standing, maybe a little feeble in the legs, but she was standing.

She felt herself about to fall, until she felt a warm arm wrap around her and kept her up.  She heard a low grunt and looked behind her to see Drogo holding her up.  He walked her back over to her bed and fell on the bed so that both of them were at least off the floor.  He rubbed his arm as he sat up and looked down at her.

"And just where we you going?" he smiled at her.  She gave him a disapproving look and hit him the arm, "Hey!  What did I do?"

"You made me get out of my bed!  I didn't see you in yours so I got up- well at least tried to- to see where you were," she hits him again in the arm.

"Ow! Ok, I'm sorry for worrying you," he held her hand, "I'm sorry.  I got up so I could release some of the pressure off my legs and tried to take a small walk outside the doors.  I wasn't going anywhere."

"You better not have gone anywhere," she looked at the arm that was holding her and noticed that he was still rubbing it, "Drogo, did I hurt you?"

"No, it's just that every joint in my body seems so sore," he rubbed the back of his neck and turned to her.

"Same here," Aubrey unhooked the amulet from around her neck and placed it in her hand, "According to Arwen when I used the power . . . instead of killing me, it passed through both of us and just pretty much blew us out.  So, in a way you did save me."

"I don't really care what happened . . . I'm just happy that you're back and you are fine," he leaned over and kissed her cheek lightly.

Aubrey smiled and looked into his eyes, "I can go back."

"What are you talking about?" Drogo looked at her almost utterly confused.

"I can go back to the Shire.   I'm no longer a Princess," her smile just grew larger, "The elves are going to the Undying Lands . . . all of them.  They don't need a leader anymore.  I can go back with you and the others."

Drogo's face grew with the smile and the joy that over came him, "Aubrey . . . you're serious?  You can come home?"

"Finally," she was almost on the verge of happy tears when he kissed her and they both fell back into the soft covers and sheets of her bed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her fingers through his hair.  He held his hands behind her holding her back, sometimes pulling her closer to him.  Aubrey dropped the amulet from her hands on the table next to her bed and the resulting noise surprised her.

She broke away from the kisses and looked Drogo in the eyes, "I love you."

"I know," he smiled at her, giving that smart look to his features, "And I love you, too," he added hastily so he wouldn't get hit in the side, "Oh-"

Aubrey watched him as he rolled on his side and sat up pulling on something on his hand.  She held the question in her mind and waited for him to explain as she rolled on her side.  He looked over his shoulder at her and stopped pulling on his finger, apparently getting off what ever he needed to.

"Aubrey . . . Um," he rubbed the back of his head, apparently very nervous with whatever he was going to ask, "How old do you have to be to get . . . well, get married in your world?"

Aubrey was a little surprised by the question, but at the same time excitement flared in her being, "I don't know, Drogo.  I guess in my world, as long as the parents were ok with it . . . two people could get married at age seventeen."

She was breathing oddly and couldn't believe that she was talking about marriage to him. I mean, they were only sixteen and seventeen years old. They- he couldn't actually be thinking about it now, could he?

Aubrey shook herself out of her daze and looked down at her hands, "But for me . . . I kind of want to wait to get married when I know that I'm ready.  I want to live with the person and be their girlfriend for a while and know for sure that that is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

She didn't see him move or anything, but she could feel the tension and him stiffen up.  She crawled across the bed and hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder, "At least that is what I thought would happen . . . I do want to wait to get married, but I already know who I want to spend with the rest of my life with.  I love you and I promise you that nothing will ever change that."

Aubrey kissed him on the cheek with her eyes closed and placed her head back on his back starting to rock from side to side with him.  She felt him hold her hands and then she felt him take her left hand and slip something on her ring finger.  She stopped rocking and her eyes popped open.  She took her head off his back and unwrapped her arms from his waist.  She looked down at her ring finger and saw a gold band with a small jewel shining in the middle of it.  She slowly placed her other hand over her chest and found it quite hard to keep breathing.

"Oh my God . . ." she crawled over beside Drogo and let her feet dangle over the side of the bed, but all the time keeping her eyes on the ring on her finger.

Drogo watched her reaction with a smile on his face, "I was hoping to give you that after the battle," he started to explain, "It took me nearly three months to save up for it.  And even longer to get the courage to give it to you.  I know that we are young, but I wanted to ask you to know that no matter what it was always in our future and we never had to worry.  I will wait as long as you want to . . . because it is a very big thing in two peoples lives and I just want you to be happy.  I mean if it was the other way-"

Drogo's rambling was stopped as Aubrey's lips crashed into his nearly throwing him back down into the bed's surface.  She let him go after a few seconds and looked him in the eyes, "Drogo . . . This is . . . I have no idea how to describe it.  I can't explain how I'm feeling.  I-"

"All you have to do is say yes or no," he smiled and held her hand.

"Drogo, you already know my answer," Aubrey smiled kissing the top of his nose and then moving back to his mouth, "Of course I will- but with time.  With a lot of time."

"You don't think that _I'm_ ready for married life, do you?" he asked her, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Are you saying that you aren't looking forward to it, Drogo Baggins?" Aubrey asked, keeping a disappointed face on.

"No . . . that's not what I'm saying at all," he said hugging her from the side, "I just don't think we should rush into it, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," she smiled and they both fell back into the bed.  Drogo held her in his arms and kept his face nuzzled into her neck.

She could feel his breath wash over her neck and chest and the small, delicate kisses that he planted on her neck.  She smiled and turned on her side putting her arms around his neck and spreading her fingers out as she looked at the ring shining in the pale light of the moon cascading into the room from outside the windows.  She locked eyes with Drogo and started to kiss his lips softly, but started to kiss more aggressively.  

Both didn't make any moves to stop, but restrained themselves from going any further.  Aubrey smiled countless times against Drogo's lips, as she now knew that they were going to be together until the end of time.  It was set in stone as far as she was concerned.  This promise, this bond could never be broken . . . no matter what.  He would be hers and she would be his forever.

***

The next morning Drogo was the first one to wake up in the bed.   He watched as Aubrey's face went from happy to contorted as she went through her different dreams.  All he could think of was that he would be able to spend nearly every morning with her like this.  To wake up in the morning and see her face first thing . . . he didn't want anything else.  He kissed her on the tip of her nose and watched her as her face went back to content.

Aubrey squeezed closer to Drogo and rubbed her head on his chest.  Her left hand was placed over his right shoulder and her head was comfortably on his left.  He held her left hand with his right and rubbed the gold band with his thumb.  He knew that he would have to get up soon and get back to his bed or go for some food.  Arwen or others may come in to see how they are doing, and he didn't particularly want to surprise them with this picture.

He kissed her hand and started to shake her awake, "Aubrey, come on, time to wake up."

Aubrey tried to keep her eyes closed to go back to sleep, she didn't quite want to wake up just yet, "Not yet, I just don't want to get up just yet; I just want to stay here and be with you."  She used the same thing that he had that morning when they had first used the tents.

He smiled and kissed her on top of the head, "That is not going to work on me, Miss Aubrey Cander."

"Hey!" Aubrey felt him roll out of the bed and felt the cold air replace where his body was.  She threw a pillow at him, but it never reached the end of the bed because she didn't have enough strength.  She pushed herself up as she watched him put his shirt back on, "I told you never to call me Miss!"

"I forgot," he said pushing his hair out of his face, "Forgive me, M' lady."  He gave a deep bow and stood back up.

"You can bow all the way," Aubrey said somewhat surprised.

"Yeah, I have been known to do that when I'm in the presence of a lady," he said giving her his smart smirk.

"That's not what I meant.  You aren't as sore anymore," she put her legs over the side of the bed and let her feet touch the ground.  She pushed off the bed and steadied herself on the floor, "Yes, I'm not so sore anymore."

"Maybe the jewel's injuries just heal faster," Drogo shrugged his shoulders and started to make his bed in the corner.  Aubrey walked over to him almost skipping and hugged him around the waist from behind.  He smiled and touched her hand, "Come on, you need to make your bed too so we can get ready to go home."

Aubrey let go and took a deep breath as she made her way over to her bed.   Home . . . what a great word and meaning that it held for Aubrey now.  It isn't someplace where she had to be, it was someplace she wanted to be.  Out in the fields and in the leaf bed, running and learning with Frodo.  She was going home.

A/N: Almost done.  I'm sorry I really thought that the story would have ended here, but my idea ran long, so the last chapter coming up next update.  Pretty much just going to say what happens when all is done.  Maybe even bits and pieces of Aubrey's new future.  Just sit tight and . . . yeah . . . well, sorry again I guess my unconscious mind is trying to make up for the first chapter.  : S

And no, Aubrey and Drogo did not . . . um . . . how to put this? Oh- they did not have relations!!!!!!  You sick people!!!!


	22. Last Chapter I promise

Chapter 22: The Last Chapter, I promise . . . 

After a week of healing the rest of the elves were healthy enough to leave and head for the Undying Lands. Aubrey and the rest of the group helped them pack the injured and the supplies into the wagons that would lead them to the great boat ready for launch. All the elves boarded and some thanked Aubrey as others totally ignored her. Even though it was all over, some still held anger about how a child could have led them. Aubrey hoped that one day they would forgive her for the battle and the trouble she had caused, but even if they didn't she would understand.

Arwen was atop her horse as she watched the boat start to sail out into the great sea. Aubrey stood in front of Drogo who had his hands on her shoulders. She watched the back of the ship shrink as it sailed farther away. Before Aubrey couldn't make out anything or anyone, she saw two figures at the back of the boat waving toward them. Both Adrielle and Philon tried to say their last goodbyes to the group. 

Aubrey felt a tear slide down her cheek as she waved her last goodbye to Adrielle and Philon. She was happy for them for they too were going too be wed in a few years time in the Undying Lands. Adrielle had stopped by Aubrey's room before she was set to leave and gave her some tips about her hair. Aubrey thanked her and neither wanted to see each other leave. Aubrey promised that one day she'd send for a boat or something and ask her to come to her wedding. They agreed that is when they would see each other once more.

Arwen turned her horse to Aubrey and looked down at the group, "Are you sure you will all find your way back to the Shire all right?"

"We will, nothing can escape dear Drogo's head. Isn't that right Drogo?" Thomas ruffled his cousin's hair and knocked on his head a few times.

All the girl's laughed at Thomas as he started to run from Drogo. Aubrey turned back to Arwen, "Thank you again for all that you have shown me, Arwen. Please tell your husband that I wish you both well and that I hope that whatever comes your way that you will be able to face it not as individuals, but as a unified soul."

"I will Aubrey," Arwen held her hand down and held Aubrey's for a moment, "Now, I must go. I have spent too much time on well wishes." She kicked at her horse and galloped off into the heavily wooded trees.

"I guess it is our time to go as well, don't you think, Aubrey?" Kate asked her.

"Yeah, it is," Aubrey grabbed the pack from the ground and the whole group started to walk down the path. Aubrey took out the broken amulet form her pocket and looked at it as she walked.

"Why do you keep that thing, Aubrey?" Kat asked as she watched Aubrey touch it, "I mean, it has no more powers, right?"

"I know, but I think I keep it for memories more than anything else."

"I think that is a wonderful reason," Lilly said putting her hand on Aubrey's shoulder, "And I think that your parents are very proud of you, Aubrey; even if you can't hear or feel them through the jewel."

"Thank you, Mrs. Baggins," Aubrey smiled at her and looked down the road.

As Thomas stuck one of the mushrooms he found on the road in his mouth a question popped into his head, "Umf, ywhferth is Geandoelf?"

Everyone looked at him with a question mark on their faces. Lilly looked disapprovingly at Thomas and hit him on the back of the head.

"Thomas Took, you swallow your food before you talk," she put her hands on her hips as Thomas swallowed the food quickly.

"Sorry, Mrs. Baggins," Thomas lowered his head saying his apology with a little lisp because he hadn't been able to swallow the food in the first gulp.

Drogo and the others laughed at him and Drogo leaned over to Aubrey, "That's my mother all right. Always trying to teach us proper, although it never got through to Thomas."

Aubrey covered her mouth as she began to laugh harder at Thomas's sad expression on his face. He finally swallowed the whole mushroom and looked back at the others, "What I meant to say when I was so rude . . ." he looked over at Mrs. Baggins and saw her nod her head approvingly, "Where is Gandalf? I haven't seen him since we left from Rivendell."

"That's because he rode a head of us earlier," Faramir said stepping up to him and draping an arm around his shoulder. He looked at Thomas's face which was still confused and continued, ". . . while we were eating first breakfast."

"That explains why I missed him," he began to think again, "And since you mentioned first breakfast . . . we haven't had second, have we?"

Faramir smacked his own forehead and stopped walking falling back again where Kat and Kate were talking. Thomas looked at the others who pretended to not hear him and kept walking, mourning the lost mealtime for the rest of the way back.

Aubrey watched the branches and over hanging brush blocked the sun's brightest rays, but still allowed the vital light to see to seep through. She saw some of the animals run into the wood away from the noisy group. Kat and Kate were arguing about something that Aubrey didn't really want to know about, Thomas was still trying to convince Faramir to snatch something out of his bag for a snack and Mrs. Baggins was talking to her son about the various things that she has missed, including how far his relationship with Aubrey has gone.

"Mother!" Drogo yelled surprised and looking at her with huge eyes after she whispered something in his ear, "Do you really think that you should be asking that?"

She looked at him and nodded her head, "Good, then I don't have to worry yet."

Aubrey could guess what she asked him and watched him stumble for words. They looked at one another and began to blush furiously. How can she even think about asking something that personal? Aubrey kept her eyes in front of her for a few minutes until she heard some one trip behind her. Both Faramir and Kate were down on the ground; apparently they had both tripped being distracted by Mrs. Baggins asking them something. They looked up with surprised faces at her covered with dirt.

"Good, I don't have to worry about telling your fathers something either," she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Both Thomas and Kat were laughing at the two couples whose faces were either red or pink from the fading blushing. Drogo held on to Aubrey's hand as the blushing faded and started to fiddle with the ring on her left hand. She smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.

After another hour they cleared another hill and out of the woods. They stood on top of the hill and looked over the plains. Aubrey took a great breath and couldn't believe what affect the sight of the Shire had on her. Her heart was in her throat and she couldn't believe that she was back. She looked over at Mrs. Baggins whose hands were over her chest as she looked at a specific hobbit hole in the far distance. Aubrey watched her lips as they shaped the word, 'Home.'

Aubrey walked over to her smiling and put a hand on her shoulder. Lilly looked at her and smiled back. Her eyes were filled with tears and she couldn't believe that she had made it back. After all those days that she thought she would never be released, after all the days were she went and prayed that she would be back in the grass fields . . . she was finally back in the Shire and back home. The whole group began to walk down the side of the hill, slowly at first but some of the young hobbits began to run -or rather roll- down the hill.

Thomas stopped his decent at the foot of the hill still laying in a patch of carrots. He looked at them and then looked at the group, knowing better then to try anything with both Faramir and Mrs. Baggins there. As they passed by Aubrey saw Kat and Kate both take a few as they stepped over. Aubrey shook her head with a small smile; it looked as if she had to go and pay another farmer for their loss.

All of them ran back to their respected homes, getting great hugs from their parents and siblings. As Aubrey, Drogo and Mrs. Baggins made it back to Bag End they saw Frodo outside in the front of Bag End raking the leaves that had already fallen. He rubbed the sweat that had gathered on his forehead and stopped raking for a few seconds. Drogo and Aubrey looked at each other with big smiles on their faces and began to run toward Frodo.

"Frodo!" Aubrey yelled waving her right hand at him and catching his attention.

"Father!" Drogo tried his turn running faster then Aubrey, trying to make it a race between the two to see who could make it there faster.

Frodo looked up from his work and saw the young lass and his son running toward him. He dropped his rake and ran out the front of the yard. As they both reached him he opened his arms and grabbed them both in his grip.

"Oh my-" he took a look at Aubrey and then at Drogo, "You're back. I didn't know . . ." He just didn't know what to say as he hugged them again. Aubrey smiled as she held Frodo in a hug, it was great to be back at Bag End. It was great seeing him again especially after thinking that she was never going to see him after she left for Rivendell. He pushed them away from him and looked at them both, "Well, it seems that you both are still in one piece."

"To tell you the truth Frodo, I wasn't sure if Drogo was going to stay in his one piece at all during the trip to Rivendell," Aubrey commented too excited to see him again to really describe it in detail.

"Me? What about you Miss Princess?" Drogo said crossing his arms.

"Hey, what have I told you about calling me Miss? And I'm not a princess anymore," she gave him a playful pout and glare, "And that is no way to speak to your fiancée."

"Fiancée?" Drogo looked at Drogo with a question written on his face and in his voice, "Drogo, do you have something to tell me?"

Drogo gave a nervous smile and held up Aubrey's left hand, "Explain enough?"

Frodo just looked at his son and at Aubrey and shook his head slightly with a smile on his face, "And you asked her with out me there?"

"Sorry, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing," Drogo said putting down Aubrey's arm and hand.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Aubrey said rolling her eyes playfully and was pushed from the side by Drogo.

Frodo looked at the two with a smile on his face, but then looked behind them and his smile began to fade into nothing Aubrey had ever seen before. She looked behind at what he was looking at and saw Lilly still standing in the dirt road, with both hands cupped together by her heart staring at Frodo.

Lilly kept her hands where they were and only could whisper the only word that came to her mind, "Frodo."

Frodo began to take steps toward her and past the two teens in the yard, "Lilly?" She nodded her head in the distance. He couldn't believe it at first, but forgot all the doubt at the back of his mind and all the pain that he had felt over the years and started to run. Lilly just stood in the road, maybe stepping only a few steps forward toward him. He soon reached her and took her in his arms burying his head in her hair, "Lilly."

Lilly could fell his arms around her, his breath washing over her hair and hear his voice calling her name. She knew that he was real; he was her Frodo she had lost so long ago. She looked up into his face and fell into his blue eyes all over again, "Frodo . . . I found my way back to you."

He smiled and stroked the side of her face, "My Lilly."

They both leaned toward one another and gave each other a kiss. Aubrey and Drogo turned away from them, giving them a little privacy. They both walked into the house and collapsed on the couch by the fire that Frodo must have lit earlier. Aubrey sighed and leaned on Drogo's shoulder.

"Isn't it romantic?"

"We nearly went through the same thing," Drogo said looked down at her, "I didn't see you sighing over that."

"Well, we were separated for three days at the most, they were separated for nearly twelve years, Drogo. Imagine how much love they had to share to keep a fire all that while."

"You mean like ours?" he said in an amused voice.

"Yeah, like ours," Aubrey looked up at him and gave him another light kiss on the lips and leaned her head back on his shoulder. They spent the rest of the last evening staring into the fire, happy that it was all over.

***

Later that week, the whole Shire was in an uproar about the upcoming celebration of the return of Aubrey and the others. They also celebrated the return of nearly all the girls that they had lost over twelve years ago and welcomed Mrs. Baggins back. After a few days Lilly Baggins was so tired of being called Mrs. Baggins that she wished for Aubrey to call her Lilly, although she still prompted Thomas to call her by the respected name. Gandalf did indeed make it back before the group, but had kept to himself waiting for them to break the ice. He, of course, brought along his fireworks for the party. Nearly everyone, including Aubrey, still wondered how he knew of the party since it was planned out of thin air.

Aubrey and Lilly were both out in the market finding some ingredients for some of the food for the upcoming party and feast. The hobbitlasses were sure to bake and cook as many treats as they could think of, so of course Mrs. Baggins and Aubrey were set for the challenge. They went from stall to stall checking off each item as they went. By the end of the hour they had finished their shopping for food. As they started to walk back Aubrey stopped in the road as she found that she no longer had a companion at her side.

"Lilly?" she looked behind her to see Lilly waving her hand at her and telling her to come over to her. Aubrey tilted her head a little but came over to her all the same. Lilly stood in front of a clothing and tailor shop looking at the pretty dresses in the windows.

"You must be tired of wearing my old dresses," she looked at Aubrey and gave a little smirk, "Why don't we do a little shopping."

Before Aubrey could answer she was swept inside where Lilly threw dresses at her one after the other. Aubrey ended up coming out of the store with a few more items then she would have hoped and looked behind her at Lilly.

"You sure this isn't overdoing it?"

"I believe that every girl should have the right to her own wardrobe, don't you?" Lilly called from behind her.

Aubrey smiled and didn't turn fast enough to see another hobbitlass right in front of her. Bags and decorations flew everywhere as the two bodies collided. Aubrey looked for her dresses, glad that none of them were ruined or even out of the bags because of how much money Lilly had just spent on them. She started to pick up some of the decorations from the ground and handed them back to the person as she stood up, apologizing the whole time.

Aubrey looked down at the hobbitlass on the ground and found it to be Kate with Kat running up the street toward them, "Kate? Are you alright?"

"I'll live Aubrey," Kate smiled, got up from the ground and took the decorations from Aubrey.

"I thought that the boys were in charge of the decorations and tents while you two focused on the layout," Aubrey said confused as Lilly stepped out of the store.

"They are," Kat butted in sounding a little annoyed, "Faramir sweet talked Kate into getting the decorations from market and she drug me with her. Although during this time we should be picking the perfect spot for the last tent and part of the dance floor. But no . . . we have to come all the way down here as the three of them sit back and 'put up the rest of the tents' as they put it. All because Kate wanted to follow her sweet Faramir."

Kate looked at the decorations and started to fumble with a few of them, "I thought it would be a way of helping out."

Lilly put her hands on her hips, "Did they really do that?" She looked at Kate as she gave her a sheepish grin, "Well, I would think that my son and Faramir would know better. I'm not so sure of Thomas, but will they hear from me, I'll tell you that right now." Lilly cracked her knuckles and started to march back toward the field where the party was to be set.

Aubrey watched her stomp off down the road and turned to the twins. All three broke out in smiles and started to run after Lilly just thinking about how much trouble the boys would be in. Aubrey also wanted to be there just in case Drogo may need to be saved from his mother. She still wanted to have the groom at her own wedding in one piece.

As the girls ran on the scene they saw both Thomas and Faramir held by the ears with Lilly standing over them. Aubrey looked past the scalding Lilly to see both Drogo and Frodo putting up the last tent. Faramir and Thomas struggled in Lilly's grip as they pleaded for their ears' release.

"We didn't force them to go? Frodo and Drogo put up the last small tent so we decided to take a break is all!" Thomas pointed at the last tent.

"You should have at least asked if you could help them," she let go of the ears to hit them both on the back of their heads.

Frodo and Drogo finished with the last tent and walked over where Faramir was being comforted by Kate and Thomas was sulking in the corner.

"Didn't I tell you both not to take the short cut?" Drogo asked in a matter- fo- fact voice. He swept the dust from his clothes and saw Aubrey back, "You and mother back from shopping all ready? I would think with all that was on the list it would take you two another hour."

"Is that why the two stopped? Thought they had enough time?" Aubrey gave a skeptical look and then started to grin, "Well, we actually finished and looked at dresses while we were in market.

"Dresses? What for?"

"Well, I am pretty much without clothes since your mother came back. I can't very well keep wearing hers now can I?" Aubrey put the basket of food in Drogo's arms as she grabs the other bag in her hand a little more securely, "And since you are done putting up the last tent, you can help me bring them inside."

"But the decorations-"

"As far as I understand, both Faramir and Thomas have to still go to town for those. Now come on, until they get back you can help your mother and I cook," she said walking toward Bag End.

"You? Cook? I though you said you once burned water," he said catching up to her.

"Yeah . . . well . . . your mother's going to help me immensely," Aubrey said trying to keep her head up.

"This is going to be fun," Drogo said under his breath and walked into the kitchen with her.

***

The night was spectacular; streamers were everywhere, nearly everyone was dancing, and Gandalf was of course setting of fireworks in the middle of it all. The small and younger hobbits gathered near the sparkling wonders or were listening to Frodo tell about every single tale he knew, including his own, when he wasn't on the dance floor with Lilly. The night sky was clear and all the stars and the moon shown down heavily on the party. All the tents were decorated with the multicolored streamers and some very nice lights that had just been introduced at market.

Faramir and Thomas laid back as much as they could because of the rigorous work of decorating Lilly had put them through. Kate was sitting by Faramir or standing in front of him trying to persuade him to dance. Thomas pushed him out in Kate's arms and laughed as Faramir tried desperately to find the beat of the music. Kat just shook her head in amusement and watched from the side of the dance floor. Drogo was sitting right beside her waiting for Aubrey to come out of Bag End.

"How much longer do you think she is going to take?" he looked at Kat.

"As long as she needs to," Kat said smiling and looking past him, "And it looks like that time is up."

Drogo looked behind her to see Aubrey with her hair up and letting the hair frame her face as it did before. She smiled and let the green dress flow around her feet and legs. She walked up to Drogo and kissed him on the cheek.

"So what do you think?"

"It's beautiful," he smiled returning the kiss and extending his hand, "Care for a dance, M' lady?"

"Why yes, kind sir," they both took steps out onto the floor and began to dance with Faramir and Kate who were already out there. 

Kat looked on with longing and wondered if she would ever find love like that. Then from over her left shoulder she saw a flower wrap toward her face. She looked behind her to see a handsome young hobbit. At first she didn't recognize him, but after she thought of it, she finally remembered him name.

"Timothy Proudfoot," she took the flower from him and he smiled shyly.

"Um, would you like a dance, Miss Brandybuck?" he said kind of stuttering and rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed mostly.

"Of course," she stood up and let him lead her to the dance floor.

Thomas was too busy looking for his friends and relatives in the crowd as he spotted them all, hooked up with some one else. He wiped his hands and stood up.

"Well, looks like my job here is done, now . . . of to the food table!" he strolled over to the food table pushing in food from every which way. As he reached for another roll on the side of the tale he felt a hand beneath his.

He picked up his stuffed face to see an equally stuffed face staring back at him. They both looked at each other and looked at the roll. They both swallowed, careful not to be too rude. The girl kind of gave a small smile to Thomas and looked at his face. She was a little shorter then he was and had black hair that went to her shoulders. Her eyes were dark brown, a chocolate most people would say and had the average figure of the teenage hobbitlass; not too skinny and not too chubby.

"I'm sorry," she said and let him have the roll, "You probably had your sights set on the roll longer then I had."

Thomas was awestruck for a few seconds as he never knew a girl to scarf down that much food in one setting. He was in the presence of greatness, "Uh . . . um . . ."

The girl giggled and covered her mouth to not be rude, "I'm Abigail Chubb."

"Thomas Took," he nearly whispered and handed her the roll.

She smiled big and put the roll back on the table and dragged him to the dance floor. He started to warm up to her and after a while they were charging through the rest of the couples on the floor. As Aubrey and Drogo were dancing they were knocked to the side by the too over eaters pushing them into another person on the side of the floor.

"Sorry," Aubrey said turning to the person they hit.

"Aubrey," the girl said. Aubrey looked at who it was and saw Sandy looking at her. She looked as pissed as ever and Aubrey didn't really want to deal with it. As she turned to leave Sandy grabbed her arm gently.

"Wait," Aubrey turned to her and narrowed her eyes at her.

"What Sandy?"

"They say that you brought back all the girls that were captured. It was you who actually tried to free them," Aubrey only nodded, "Thank you."

The comment surprised both Drogo and Aubrey. Sandy was actually being grateful for something, "No problem Sandy."

"My sister was one of the girls taken and it means a lot to me that she's back home," she smiled at Aubrey.

Aubrey brought herself to smile and patted Sandy in the shoulder. Even in this touching moment she wasn't ready to hug her. Aubrey looked at Drogo as they made their way to the dace floor again.

Before they reached the flat ground, Drogo held her back and nodded his head toward a hill. Aubrey smiled and got the message. They both climbed up the hill and collapsed when they reached the top. They had the perfect view for the fireworks and the party. The lights were all shining like nothing Aubrey had ever seen before.

Aubrey leaned back on Drogo and let him play with her hair, "Drogo?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you wondered what our lives would be like after we're married?"

"Yes," he said, "Have you?"

"Yeah, of course," she sat back up and looked him in the eyes, "What do you think of Mandy as a name?"

"A name?"

"For a girl," she smiled as his face broke out in one as well.

"I think it sounds very nice," he let her lay back in his lap and rest her head.

Aubrey stared up at the stars wondering if they could send a message to some one as well as tell stories. She closed her eyes and told the stars to tell her friends and everyone left behind that she still was there for them and she still loved them very much.

'No one can every replace you guys, but I have to move on,' Aubrey closed her eyes and smiled, 'I love you all so much.'

***

The house looked so empty without anyone's car in the driveway or any movement inside. There were no more voices echoing in the hall or the noise of footsteps in the young girl's room. Jane stood outside what used to be her best friend's home. Ever since they closed the house for it to be sold, she never really tried to just look at it. Josh had gone to a game and she had the entire afternoon to herself. She just shook her head lightly thinking of all the things that Aubrey would have thought of if she hadn't disappeared like she did over ten months ago.

"Where did you go Aubrey?" Jane whispered into the wind, "I wish you were still here with me. Heck, even Jeremy and Cara miss you yelling in their faces."

Jane looked up and down the quiet street looking for any sign that someone might notice her. After seeing no sign of anyone she walked up to the side of the house and opened one of the windows that she and Aubrey would climb through whenever Aubrey lost her key. She fell to the ground realizing that she wasn't as graceful as she used to be and took a quick look around the room.

All the furniture was still there, in its own place. The people that were to sell the house had not moved it out since they had no idea what to do with it. Hanna Cander didn't have any relatives and Aubrey, being the only daughter, had disappeared a few months before her death. Jane walked through the house remembering how everything was set and remembering all the games that she and her best friend would play in each room.

She eventually found her way to Aubrey's room and let her hand glide over the random things in the room. The bed, the dresser, the clothes, which she had yet to pick up, and the pile of books that were left on her floor. Her mother never left her bed in the last months and didn't bother to pick up and organize the room like she used to. Jane sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at the covers of all the books. She found the copy of Lord of the Rings that she gave Aubrey before she disappeared and found that it had never been opened. She shook her head with the understanding that Aubrey probably would think that it would have been much simpler to watch the movies as they came out.

Under the new looking book she found a strange book that she didn't recognize at first, but then her face started to melt. It was a book with a white cover that was almost as wide as the dictionary and as thick as a nice sized novel. Her face grew into a smile as the tears began to form in her eyes. The book was one of the favorites of the two girls when they were too young to read novels. Aubrey's mother would read them a story out of the book night after night when Jane would spend the night. It told of the heroes and heroines of Middle Earth. Neither girl was really aware of the story by Tolkien when they were around six, so her mother would have to explain the whole story of the ring to them.

Of course at the end of the book would always be Frodo Baggins and then there would be four pages that were empty at the back of the book. Jane would point to the empty pages and always asked what they were for. Aubrey's mom would always reply that the pages were for another person to save Middle Earth. Their story would be told there. Jane never believed it, but Aubrey would always eat it up . . . each and every time.

Jane wiped the tears out of her eyes and touched the cover of the book with the tips of her fingers. She sniffed a little and opened the book and started to skim through her favorite stories and then going to the back pages to look at Frodo's journey to destroy the ring. But at the end of the book there was another story that she had never seen before. The heading surprised Jane and she dropped the book off her lap as she stood up and backed away from it.

"No way!" she opened the curtains in the room so she could see with better light thinking that she may have miss read the title. She picked the book up again and looked at the obvious mistaken title. But there was no mistaking the bold blue title that took up the top of the page. Jane put her hand over the title and read it out loud, "Sorion's Jewel and the Cander Maiden."

Jane took a deep breath and started to read. It told of orcs, a powerful jewel, a corrupt elf and a young hobbitlass that wished of nothing but to go back to the Shire . . . where her mother had once lived. Jane cried through most of the story sometimes reading out loud to herself, but always intent on finishing the story. She looked over the last page of the story and read the last few lines to herself, 'And she made it to the Shire, happy with her new love and her new life. Not totally missing the world that she left behind as much as the people, she sends out her love to the stars hopeful that the message will find its way to her loved ones left behind.'

Jane let a single, silent tear fall down her face as she flipped through the remaining four pages in the book after her best friend's story. . . finding that they were all blank . . .

THE END

Hey All!

Just wanted all you to know, even though this chapter may be done, I am already ready to start a sequel.  The sequel may be a little shorter than the original, but I have an idea there if you all want it.  The only problem is that I'm not sure whether you, my reviewers will like it.  So if you would like to see a short preview to it, e-mail me and tell me what you think.  Thanks and I hope to be hearing from you.

And if you want, I just wanted to tell you that my Pirates of the Caribbean fic is still up, so if you want go and check it out.  Thanks in advance!


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